Yes, you can donate a human pacemaker for use in a dog. Veterinary teaching hospitals across the country accept used pacemakers, either removed from living patients who are upgrading to a newer device or recovered from deceased individuals before cremation or burial. These donated devices are cleaned, tested, and implanted into dogs with life-threatening heart rhythm problems, often saving families thousands of dollars compared to purchasing a brand-new veterinary device.
Why Dogs Need Human Pacemakers
Dogs develop many of the same heart rhythm disorders that affect people. The most common conditions requiring a pacemaker are third-degree atrioventricular block (where electrical signals between the upper and lower chambers of the heart are completely interrupted) and sick sinus syndrome (where the heart’s natural pacemaker fires too slowly or pauses for dangerously long stretches). Dogs with these conditions may faint, collapse, or struggle with exercise because their heart simply isn’t beating fast enough to supply adequate blood flow.
Veterinary-specific pacemaker generators and leads do exist, but they’re expensive. A brand-new setup can run several thousand dollars just for the hardware, and that cost gets passed directly to pet owners. Veterinary cardiologists at institutions like the University of Missouri have said openly that they try not to buy new devices because the price is often cost-prohibitive for clients. Donated human pacemakers solve this problem. They’re functionally identical to what a dog needs, and refurbishing one costs a fraction of buying new.
What Devices Are Accepted
Not every pacemaker qualifies. The University of Georgia’s veterinary teaching hospital, one of the most established donation programs, accepts generators only from Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and Abbott (formerly St. Jude’s). The reason is practical: veterinary hospitals need specialized programmers to configure each device, and they typically only have programmers for these three manufacturers. If your device is from another company, it can’t be reprogrammed and won’t be accepted.
The pacemaker also needs to be a standard single-chamber or dual-chamber generator capable of being programmed into a simple pacing mode called VVI or VVIR. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), which deliver electric shocks to correct dangerous rhythms, are not accepted for veterinary use.
Battery life is the other major factor. UGA requests devices with at least three years of estimated battery life remaining based on a recent interrogation report. Research on pacemaker recycling programs more broadly has used a cutoff of 70 to 75 percent battery life remaining, or at least four years of estimated longevity. A University of Michigan study found that roughly half of all pacemakers removed from human patients for clinical reasons (not just routine battery replacement) still had sufficient battery life and appeared to function well. So even devices removed during an upgrade or a lead revision may have years of useful life left.
How Donated Devices Are Prepared
Once a donated pacemaker arrives at a veterinary hospital, a cardiology technician or clinician evaluates the device’s battery life, functionality, and compatibility. If it passes screening, it goes through a thorough cleaning and sterilization process before implantation.
The standard protocol involves washing the device in an enzymatic detergent to break down any remaining biological material, replacing screw caps and set screws, brushing and inspecting the housing, and then sterilizing with ethylene oxide gas. Validation studies of this process have shown zero bacterial growth across all biological indicator tests after full sterilization cycles. The generators you mail in should ideally be wiped clean of blood and tissue, but they don’t need to be sterilized before shipping.
How to Donate a Pacemaker
There are two common scenarios. If a living patient is having their pacemaker replaced with a newer model, the explanted device can be donated directly. Ask the surgical team or hospital to set the old generator aside rather than disposing of it. If a loved one has passed away and had a pacemaker, the device is typically removed before cremation anyway (the battery can explode under high heat), so this is an ideal time to redirect it. A funeral director can remove the device respectfully, and you, as the closest adult relative or legally authorized representative, sign a consent form authorizing the donation.
For the University of Georgia program specifically, you mail the cleaned generator along with a completed UGA Foundation Gift in Kind form (you don’t need to assign a dollar value) to their Veterinary Teaching Hospital Cardiology Service in Athens, Georgia. If the device meets their criteria, you’ll receive a formal gift acknowledgment within six to eight weeks. If it doesn’t qualify, they dispose of it according to medical device handling standards.
The University of Missouri also welcomes pacemaker donations and has an active refurbishment program. Other veterinary cardiology programs at teaching hospitals may accept devices as well, so it’s worth calling your nearest veterinary school if shipping to Georgia or Missouri isn’t convenient.
What Pacemaker Surgery Looks Like for Dogs
Pacemaker implantation in dogs is a well-established procedure performed by board-certified veterinary cardiologists. The generator is typically placed under the skin along the neck or chest wall, and a lead is threaded through a vein into the heart. Dogs generally recover quickly and can return to normal activity within a few weeks, with periodic checkups to monitor the device’s function and battery status.
The total cost of the procedure varies by hospital and complexity, but using a donated device instead of a new one can significantly reduce the bill. For many families, the difference between a donated and a purchased pacemaker is what makes surgery financially possible in the first place. If your dog has been diagnosed with a slow heart rhythm and your veterinary cardiologist recommends pacing, ask whether they accept donated devices or can connect you with a program that does.