Blood Donor Registry

Just like us, pets require blood transfusions for life-threatening conditions that result in severe blood loss. Every blood donor is a hero, and their contribution can give a new lease of life to animals in need. 

Mount Pleasant blood donor programme

The lack of blood bank facilities in Singapore makes it difficult and time-consuming to locate a blood donor in an emergency. Being on the Mount Pleasant blood donor registry will help to ensure our beloved pets have access to this life-saving treatment when they need it. 

Blood donor requirements

Canine

• Healthy with a gentle temperament
• Comfortable with handling and needle prick for blood collection
• 1 to 8 years of age
• Weigh at least 20kg
• No history of pregnancy
• Up to date on vaccinations & preventatives
• Never received a blood transfusion
• Not on medications (some are permitted on a case-by-case basis)

Feline

• Healthy with a gentle temperament
• Comfortable with handling and needle prick for blood collection
• 1 to 8 years of age
• Weigh at least 5kg
• No history of pregnancy
• Up to date on vaccinations & preventatives
• Never received a blood transfusion
• Not on medications (some are permitted on a case-by-case basis)

Frequently asked questions

Q: How often can my dog/cat donate blood? 

Depending on age and health, a dog/cat can donate blood every 2 to 3 months. However, we will only ever ask your pet to donate when we need their blood type. Every donor is treated individually, and their welfare is always our priority. We monitor each donor, and the frequency of donation is dependent on haematology values and our clinical examination.

Q: Do I have to wait in the hospital during the donation?

You can, but you do not have to. Some owners leave their pets with us before they go to work and pick them up after work. Others prefer to run some errands and come back later.

Q: Can I be present during the donation?

You can, but preferably not. Many pets are calmer when their owner(s) are not present, making the process quicker and easier.

Q: Does my dog/cat suffer during the donation process?

The process is not painful and is well tolerated by most pets. We monitor our donors closely and will stop the collection immediately if the pets are uncomfortable.

Q: How long is the process?

The entire procedure, from registration to the collection of blood, takes about 2 to 3 hours.

Q: Is this a blood bank?

No. We do not have blood bank facilities. The blood collected from your dog/cat will be transfused to the recipient dog/cat soon after collection.

Q: Do dogs/cats have blood types?

There are at least 8 different blood types for dogs and 3 for cats.

Q: My dog’s blood type matches the recipient dog. Why can’t he donate blood?

Besides blood typing, cross-matching is done to determine if there are antibodies in the recipient’s plasma against the red blood cells of the donor. If the cross-matching test fails, the donor’s blood is incompatible and should not be used.

Blood donor benefits 

This is a voluntary programme and there are no costs associated with your pet’s generous donation. Besides the rewarding experience from helping others, we provide our heroic donors with the following benefits:

• Complimentary physical examination.
• Free blood typing at the start of enrolment.
• Free comprehensive blood screening: complete blood count, biochemical profile, blood parasite.
• Free infectious disease screening for dogs: heartworm, ehrlichiosis, anaplasma, babesia gibsoni.
• Free infectious disease screening for cats: feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV).
• S$100 gratitude gift credited to your Mount Pleasant account with each donation.