There are many ways to test blood. A blood scan, quickly measures packed cell volume, total protein content of the blood, and estimates the WBC count and hemoglobin content. A full blood count provides more detail on the RBC and WBC counts and distribution. More comprehensive testing takes 24 hours as it requires analysis by a clinical pathology laboratory. This testing can detail the number and size of RBCs, WBC numbers with individual type counts, enzymes in the serum relative to internal organ function, electrolyte levels, kidney and liver functions, and a range of other body function tests.
Blood also has the capacity to be categorized, and there are more than a dozen canine blood groups.
One blood type appears to be most important regarding compatibility when transfusing a dog, therefore, only dogs who are negative for this blood type are enrolled in PABB's program. With this basic understanding of how blood works and why donating is important, let's review the dog's part in donating from the perspective of the PABB donation process. PABB has a bloodmobile that travels throughout Philadelphia area and suburbs to scheduled blood drives. A first time donor is escorted into the bloodmobile with its owner. The dog is permitted to sniff around and get comfortable with the surroundings.