What Is the Canine & Feline Blood Donation Center at IndyVet?

The Canine & Feline Blood Donation Center is a blood bank program operated by IndyVet Emergency & Specialty Hospital in Indianapolis. It supplies blood products for pets that need transfusions during emergency or specialty care. If you are a pet owner interested in having your dog or cat become a donor, or a referring veterinarian looking for a blood source for a critical patient, the center is the point of contact — reach the hospital at (317) 782-4484, which is staffed 24 hours a day.

Why a dedicated blood donation center matters

IndyVet describes itself as a 24-hour emergency and specialty hospital offering Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Surgery. Many of the patients it treats arrive as critical referrals from other veterinarians.

Transfusions are part of that critical care. A hospital that runs its own donation center can collect, store, and supply blood on site rather than depending on an outside source — which matters when a patient needs blood quickly. The center exists because the hospital's own emergency and specialty caseload creates ongoing demand for canine and feline blood products.

What the center does

Based on the hospital's own description, the center:

• Recruits and manages canine and feline blood donors — dogs and cats whose owners volunteer them for donation.
• Collects and supplies blood for transfusion to patients in IndyVet's emergency and specialty services.
• Supports critical patients — the kind of cases that arrive as referrals from primary care veterinarians.

The hospital does not publish donor eligibility criteria, screening requirements, or scheduling details on the page reviewed here. Those specifics are best confirmed directly with the hospital.

How to get involved or get help

If you want your pet to become a donor:

1. Call IndyVet at (317) 782-4484. The line is open 24 hours.
2. Ask whether the donation center is currently accepting canine or feline donors.
3. Ask what the screening process involves and what requirements your pet would need to meet.
4. Ask how donation appointments are scheduled and what a visit involves.

If your pet needs blood or you are a referring veterinarian:

• Call the same number. For referral cases, IndyVet also provides the IndyVet Connect referral portal, which lets referring veterinarians submit patients online.

What IndyVet is — and what it is not

IndyVet has operated in the Indianapolis community since 1994 and occupies a 30,000-square-foot facility. It focuses solely on emergency and specialty care; general wellness veterinary care is left to primary care veterinarians. The blood donation center sits within that emergency-and-specialty mission rather than being a standalone community blood bank.

The hospital lists affiliations including AAHA, Cat Friendly Practice, Fear Free, AVMF, and Care Credit.

Key things to confirm by phone

Because the reviewed page does not cover donor program logistics, call before assuming anything about:

• Whether the center is actively recruiting donors right now
• Species-specific eligibility (canine vs. feline requirements may differ)
• Health, age, weight, or vaccination prerequisites
• Whether there is any compensation, incentive, or cost involved
• How often a donor pet can give blood

Quick reference

The single most useful next step is a phone call: (317) 782-4484, any time.