Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood donation effects on vitamin B12 and folic acid in dogs
By Dini, R et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2026·Department of Veterinary Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Impact of blood donation on serum cobalamin and folic acid concentrations in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 89 dogs that donated blood were tested for levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid (vitamin B9) to see if donating blood affected these nutrients. Some dogs had lower than normal levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid, with 8% showing low B12 and 28% showing low B9. However, the study found no clear link between how often the dogs donated blood and their vitamin levels. It's important for pet owners to monitor their dog's health, especially if they are regular blood donors, and to discuss any concerns with their veterinarian.
People also search for: dog blood donation effects · low vitamin B12 in dogs · dog folic acid deficiency symptoms
Abstract
Serum cobalamin (B12) and folic acid (B9) support bone marrow and intestinal activity. While blood donation (BD) is known to affect haematological and iron status, its impact on vitamin B12/B9 levels is poorly studied in humans and not investigated in dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of BD on serum vitamin B12 and vitamin B9 concentrations in blood donor dogs. Eighty-nine blood donor dogs were included from June 2024 to March 2025. Serum vitamin B12 and vitamin B9 were measured, and the corresponding complete blood count was analysed. Age, sex, breed, the total number of BD and BD annual frequency (≤2/year and >2/year) were registered. Forty dogs (45%) donated blood ≤2/year, while 49 (55%) donated >2/year. Median number of total BD/years was 4.5 donations (range: 1-16 total BD). Considering the reference interval, 7 dogs (8%) had decreased vitamin B12 levels (median 557; range 88-2400 pg/mL; RI 300-908 pg/mL) and 25 (28%) showed low serum vitamin B9 levels (median 9.2 pg/mL, range 2.5-24 pg/mL; RI 7.7-24 pg/mL). In the present study, although some canine blood donors showed lower vitamin B12 and vitamin B9 concentrations, no significant associations were observed between vitamin levels and donation frequency or age/sex variables.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41885699/