Mount Laurel Animal Hospital Seeking Lifesaving Canine Blood Donors as Shortage Continues

A national shortage of canine blood is creating a quiet but urgent challenge for veterinary hospitals across the country.

MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, UNITED STATES, May 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A national shortage of canine blood is creating a quiet but urgent challenge for veterinary hospitals across the country. With commercial pet blood banks reporting extended wait times and limited availability, Mount Laurel Animal Hospital is reinforcing the importance of its in-house Canine Blood Donor Program and calling on local dog owners to help meet a growing lifesaving need across South Jersey and surrounding communities.

Every day, critically ill and injured dogs rely on blood transfusions to survive. Patients experiencing trauma, surgical complications, immune-mediated disease, toxin exposure, severe anemia, clotting disorders, and other emergencies often cannot wait for blood products to be shipped from outside facilities. In many cases, treatment decisions must be made immediately. Having a local, in-house blood supply can be the difference between life and loss when minutes matter most.

“Blood availability can determine whether a critically ill patient has a chance to recover,” says Cassandra Janson, DVM, DACVECC, Department Head of Critical Care and Blood Bank Medical Director at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital. “In emergency and intensive care settings, we often do not have the luxury of waiting days for outside blood products to arrive. Having dedicated local donors and a strong in-house blood bank allows us to act immediately when pets need us most.”

Since launching in 2020, the Mount Laurel Animal Hospital Blood Bank has helped save more than 1,500 pets through lifesaving transfusion support. Each donation can help support multiple patients depending on clinical need and how blood products are utilized. This allows veterinarians to respond quickly when emergency and specialty patients arrive in need of immediate care.

“Every eligible donor who joins our program directly helps pets in our community,” says Karen Roach, RVT, VTS, Blood Bank Coordinator at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital. “One donation can support multiple patients, and that impact is extraordinary. These donor families truly make a difference.”

Like human blood banks, veterinary hospitals rely on community volunteers to maintain an adequate supply. Mount Laurel Animal Hospital is currently seeking healthy dogs over 45 pounds, between the ages of 1 and 7, with calm temperaments and excellent overall health to join the donor program. Dogs receive health screenings, and the donation process is designed to be safe, comfortable, and rewarding. Donor pets are carefully monitored by experienced veterinary professionals throughout the process.

As the shortage continues, Mount Laurel Animal Hospital encourages pet owners to see whether their dog may qualify and become part of a program that directly helps save lives. Families whose pets have needed emergency transfusions understand how important immediate access to blood can be, and donor dogs help provide that chance to others.

To learn more about the Mount Laurel Animal Hospital Canine Blood Donor Program or to determine if your dog qualifies, visit mlahvet.com/blood-bank/.

About Mount Laurel Animal Hospital

Mount Laurel Animal Hospital is a leading veterinary hospital serving South Jersey and the greater Philadelphia region with primary care, emergency, and specialty veterinary services. Open 24 hours a day, the hospital provides advanced diagnostics, surgery, critical care, internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, neurology, rehabilitation, and more under one roof. Mount Laurel Animal Hospital is committed to compassionate medicine, exceptional client service, and being here when pets need care most.

Eli Zarzecki
Mount Laurel Animal Hospital
+1 856-234-7626
ezarzecki@mlahvet.com
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