Message Number: YG12703 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Shelley Knudsen
Date: 2002-04-23 15:04:00 UTC
Subject: Shaving a ferret for drawing blood


>Yow! Your vet shaved a ferret for blood? That really isn't
>necessary. Blood can be drawn from the leg or thr jugular
right
>through the fur. Both the Hillyer/Quesenberry book and the
Purcell
>book describe the technique, if your vet has access to those.


>> You suggested blood work - would this be to test for ECE or
any
>> other abnormalities. How do vets take blood from ferrets
in
>> the US. One of my other ferrets needed to give a blood
sample and
>> the vet shaved half his fur off!!!


Regarding shaving a ferret for drawing blood. Many vets that
are experienced with drawing blood from a ferret may not have
to shave a ferret because they are so accustomed to drawing
blood from a ferret that they know what they are doing just as
a matter of routine. However, for vets that may not draw
blood from a ferret very often, it can be very beneficial to
be able to see the vein in the leg or neck to be able to hit
it the first time. Drawing blood from ferrets can be quite
challenging, even for vets that do it on a regular basis,
since the veins are substantially smaller than say that of a
dog or person. In addition, ferrets are not nearly as
cooperative as a dog when it comes to staying still for a
blood draw. So, personally, if it meant a shaved ferret and
one or two tries, or an unshaved ferret and multiple tries
(assuming the vet doesn't draw blood from ferrets daily, which
most don't), I would take a shaved ferret anyday. The hair
will always (unless on pred or w/adrenal dz) grow back, and I
would rather the ferret not be subjected to lots of needle
pokes and stress. Just my two cents on the matter.

Dooks to your fuzzies,
Shelley Knudsen
Class of 2004 KSU Veterinary College
ferrets@kansas.net sknudsen@vet.ksu.edu
http://www.tcgcs.com/~ferrets
785-565-9041 cel402-984-4217

"There ain't no limit in this life to how far you can get,
but if you're going all the way, you gotta break a sweat."
- Chad Brock