Eligibility and Blood Types

Donor Eligibility & Types

Eligible dog/cat:

  • Be healthy and friendly
  • Be between the ages of 1 and 6
  • Donate at least 5 or 6 times a year
  • Weight 55 lbs. or more (dogs)/ 10 lbs. or more (cats)

If your dog or cat meets the above minimum requirements, and you are interested in checking further to see if he or she can become a Blood Donor – call us at (614) 688-8460 to set up an appointment.

At your scheduled appointment, your pet will receive a physical exam. Blood will be drawn for CBC, profile, heartworm test, typing and tick panel. All results should be back within 3 weeks, and you will learn of your pet's donor eligibility status at that time.

When dogs and cats are evaluated for donor eligibility, their blood is "typed" and classified into one of the following categories:

Dogs (Canines)

  1. Universal - Any dog can receive Universal blood
  2. Positive - Only Positive dogs can receive Positive blood

Cats (Felines)

  1. A - Most common, but can only be given to Type A cats
  2. B - More common in pure breed cats… can only be given to Type B cats
  3. AB - Very rare, can be used for other Type AB cats only.