Why blood donors are in demand
Meet our team.
Rachel Adams
DVMDr. Rachel Adams’ clinical interests include surgical emergencies and polytrauma. As specialty service head, she supervises the specialty and emergency clinicians at our Washington, PA, hospital.
- Fellowship, Small Animal Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
- Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Metropolitan Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital, Akron, OH
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
- Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Adrian College, MI
Dr. Adams loves to play and watch ice hockey, especially the Pittsburgh Penguins. Other favorite pastimes include snowboarding, soccer and running. Her family includes her husband, son, and two dogs: Shetland sheepdog, Reese, and Catahoula mix, Trafford.
Jen McConnell
CVTJen McConnell was introduced to blood banking by her emergency medicine and critical care mentors, who also happened to run Blood Bank at our hospital. She loves the science of blood-based disease and chose veterinary medicine to advocate for patients who can’t speak for themselves, especially in the most critical situations. With over 11 years of experience, Jen treats donors and critically ill patients like her own, seeing them as part of the “blood family”.
Outside the hospital, Jen loves having fun – singing 90s and early 2000s hip hop, eating sushi and spending time with her family. She is a mother to two daughters, whom she calls her lifeline, and an autism advocate in Pittsburgh, working with a group that supports other parents.
Brooke Mckeand
APCA IIBrooke McKeand has always felt at home in veterinary medicine, having grown up around animals. Since 2020, she has dedicated her career to strengthening the human-animal bond through compassionate, high-quality care. After starting in emergency medicine and critical care, Brooke joined the Blood Bank team and found a deep passion for helping save lives in a new way. She loves supporting both patients and donors who make life-saving transfusions possible and finds it rewarding to see how teamwork and dedication can make such a lasting impact.
Outside of the hospital, Brooke loves reading, crocheting and hiking with her Australian shepherds, Prairie and Ophelia.
What can I expect?
Eligibility
- If your pet meets all eligibility criteria, complete the online registration, which inclues a medical history questionnaire.
- If all requirements are met, a member of the blood bank team will contact you to review your pet’s information, explain the blood donation process, answer questions, and schedule a pre-screening appointment.
Pre-screening appointment
- During this complimentary appointment, a member of the blood bank team will explain the process in detail and answer any questions you may have.
- An exam and behavioral assessment will be performed by a licensed veterinarian to ensure your pet is healthy and has a friendly, calm disposition.
- A blood sample will be drawn for initial pre-screening lab work to complete your pet's full health check, obtain their blood type, and to screen for any infectious diseases.
Results
- A member of the blood bank team will contact you with the lab work results. If all results are within the expected range, your pet will be officially enrolled in the program and we'll schedule their first donation appointment.
- When you arrive at the hospital, our team will meet with you to review any changes in your pet’s medical history and answer any questions. Most owners choose to drop off their pet for the day, but you're welcome to stay for the donation. The donation itself takes about 10 minutes, though the entire process lasts approximately an hour.
- A pre-donation health check will be performed, which includes a complete physical exam by a licensed veterinarian and a blood test to assess Packed Cell Volume (PCV) or hemoglobin. This will determine if your pet is clear to donate.
- With your consent, a small amount of sedative may be given to your pet to help them relax, if needed.
- While your pet is comfortably situated on a table, a small area of fur on their neck will be removed and the skin at the collection site will be cleaned.
- Blood is collected from the jugular vein, with the donation process lasting approximately 10 minutes. For canines, the standard collection volume ranges from 300ml to 450ml, depending on their weight. For felines, the standard volume is 53ml.
- Your pet is closely monitored with tenderness throughout the entire donation process by our loving team.
- After the donation, a bandage is placed over the collection site and your pet's vitals are taken.
- Your pet will receive plenty of TLC from our team as well as treats for their hard work!
- We recommended that your pet rest for the remainder of the day before returning to their normal routine the following day. For dogs, a harness should be used afterward.
- If you choose to receive notifications, you will receive an email alert when your pet’s blood is used to save or improve another pet’s life. You may receive multiple emails, as each donation can produce up to three blood products!
