From:
williamsb@comcast.net
Date: 2002-07-05 17:00:55 UTC
Subject: RE: Drawing Blood
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <19080174.1025888455876.JavaMail.root@scandium>
The vet
> tried to draw blood but his blood pressure was low and
> they didn't get anything.
> They want to put him under anestisha to try to draw
> blood. My question is what difference does this make?
> He wasn't squirmy or uncooperative in any way. He laid
> there patiently until they were done sticking him.
It actually makes more difference to the vet or technician drawing the blood. NOBODY likes to poke an animal time and time again - it's no fun for the animal, and the vet would feel better if they knew that the animal is temporarily not feeling it.
there is usually little risk with a small amount of isoflurane to failitate blood draws, provided that the vet knows how to interpret such tests - a number of values will be decreased, due to the spleninc enlargement that results from anesthesia and the sequestering of red and white blood cells that transiently occurs.
With kindest regards,
Bruce williams, dVM