A Question About Drawing Blood

[Guest UESBrindle]

William was at the vet Saturday. They took blood to run some tests and he came back out to us still bleeding a little from his throat area. The tech stayed with us and applied pressure until it stopped.

 

He has white fur on his throat/chest area, and it looks like it's still bruised. Is this normal?

 

Is this where they usually draw the blood from for dogs? do they cut them to draw blood or use a needle?

 

Also, does anyone else ask the vet if you can go back where ever they take the dogs for procedures (blood, x-rays, etc)? Do they let you go?

 

I always wonder what happens back there, and I would think that William would be more comfortable with me back there since it's already a pretty stressful situation.

 

Thanks!

[Batmom]

They use a needle to draw blood. There can be a little leakage, which you see as bruising. If there's more than a little (palm-sized area) or any swelling, let the vet know.

 

At my vet, they'll let me go back to see most anything. They sometimes do blood draws in the exam room, sometimes in back, just depends. I've been a big customer there for years so that might influence things a bit.

[Guest Greytluv]

At Hemopet they draw blood from that exact area. Sometimes it leaks a little afterward. No, they don't cut them when they draw blood.

 

I've never asked to go with my dog to the back. I don't know why they wouldn't let you Just insist on going. I know I would never let the Dr. take my son anywhere w/o me. The only thing I can think of is upsetting all the other dogs back there.

[FRISBYSMUM]

I don't know if they do it differently over here, but when Frisby has blood drawn they take it from his front leg and I have always been present to calm him and pet him. It is just assumed that you stay with your dog for most treatments(not x rays).

[Guest DoofBert]

We've had bruising and even a little swelling after blood withdrawal.....this occurred after blood donation. And sweelling went down in a few hours under ver supervison. Bruising was also watched carefully, but wetn away without incident.

[Guest Energy11]

My vet, and my former vet/employer always draw from the LEG, not the EJ (external jugular in the neck)! I, personally, UNLESS no vein in the legs could be found, would NOT allow my vet to draw from the neck! No need! Same as humans ... the EJ is only used when no vein can be accessed.

 

The brusing is most likely from a "popped" vein. The can occur when the person drawing goes through the vein, instead of into it. It does happen. I have done it, too. The brusing should go away in a few days.

 

Next time, ask the vet or tech to draw from the LEGS!!! Greyhounds have awesome veins, and there is no need to use the neck! ***Unless it is a shock situation and the lower veins are collapsed.

 

 

 

 

[ripley488]

I would never use a vet that did not allow me to stay with my dogs when they are examined or worked on.

 

I usually let the techs handle the dogs, but I have helped out with difficult ones. I stay with my dogs during shots, IV fluids, stitches/staples, ultrasounds, xrays (even assisted with a few.) I even stayed and watched a dental the last time we needed one. I have not watched a spay/neuter, but I think she would let me if I asked.

 

I am responsible for my animals & that includes their health care. I want to know what is done to them & how they react. I ask a million questions & often bring in internet printouts to discuss. My vet has learned to expect this from me & it has never been a problem. If it was - I would find a new health care partner.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I think there's a difference here with a simple blood draw at the vet's office, and donating blood.

 

If it's a simple draw, my vet always draws from the leg, however donating is different,

 

Bruising is normal

 

I've always been allowed to go back with them, and depending on which dog, I either choose to or not.

[Guest KennelMom]

They use a needle to draw blood. There can be a little leakage, which you see as bruising. If there's more than a little (palm-sized area) or any swelling, let the vet know.

 

At my vet, they'll let me go back to see most anything. They sometimes do blood draws in the exam room, sometimes in back, just depends. I've been a big customer there for years so that might influence things a bit.

 

 

Sometimes the reason they are drawing blood can affect where they draw from. IE, yesterday they wanted to take special note of Rocky's platelets and the vet mentioned drawing from the neck is preferable to to the leg for this purpose (didn't ask her to elaborate on why). BUT, the vein wasn't as apparent as she would have liked based on how he would hold his head and she opted for the leg rather than try to get him to hold his head differently.

Edited June 29, 2010 by KennelMom

[Guest UESBrindle]

Ok, I guess it just leaked a little afterwards and made it look worse than it was. The bruise is just a bit larger than a quarter, so I'm sure it'll go away with time I'll keep an eye on it.

 

Next time I will ask to go back!

 

Thank you

 

 

 

 

[Guest Energy11]

NO ONE touches my dogs unless I am there. The vets sometimes hate it, but, oh well! I am paying THEM! I have always been totally involved in my dogs's care. One thing I can say about Dr. Karen here, she lets me stay with them, and I usually assist her, because I know how :-))

 

When Goldie was getting her foot xrayed, obviously, I stayed out due to the radiation exposure and not having the lead-lined vest.

[LBass]

Often they'll draw Piper's blood from his legs but sometimes when they need a lot (when I'm sending blood for several tests to Hemopet, for instance) they'll draw from his neck. A little bruising sometimes happens for him too.

 

My vet's techs do most of those things in the exam room with me present--at least with me and my dogs. I really like being there with them. The only time they go into the back without me is for things like x-rays and surgery.

 

I did take Piper to the vet school at UGA in the early stages of dealing with his epilepsy and they were going to tak him back for an exam and leave me in the waiting room. I asked to be allowed to go with him and they let me. I didn't ask to stay some months later when Piper went to the local specialty vet practice. They clearly like to get all their patients in in the morning and then do their exams as it suits them through the day and have owners pick up late in the day and discuss results. I decided to be agreeable and left Piper--who had fasted in preparation for a blood draw--at their office with his breakfast kibble in a tub for them to feed him after the blood draw. When I picked him up after 4PM they handed back the kibble, so apparently they didn't bother to feed him. They also told me that he had not accepted their handling him very well. Now my Piper is a natural born sweetheart who never in 6 years with me has given anyone any trouble at all, even when they are doing things at the vet's that are clearly uncomfortable for him. I think being there all day with strangers, without his breakfast, and without his Mama was stressful for him. I've not needed to take him back there again, but if I do, I will not be leaving him alone again--or the others for that matter.

 

--Lucy

[Hubcitypam]

I've seen it drawn from both places on my dogs with no problems but can't remember the circumstances of each.

 

I do let the techs at my curent vet pop Poodle in the back to test his glucose while I wait in the lobby if that's all we're in for so we don't take up a room, but other than that they do most everything in front of me. At my previous vet they would always invite me in the back.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Hubcitypam

[MaryJane]

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, I like the vet to draw the blood from the leg rather than the neck. Most greyhounds have great veins in their legs so it should not be an issue. If they do draw from the neck, they need to keep pressure on for a longer time as there is more likelihood that it will bleed and if the person drawing the blood is not very experienced, they may not know this.

 

As someone mentioned earlier, when you draw blood from a person you usually do not do it from the artery and there shouldn't be any reason to draw it that way for a dog.

 

Years ago it was a common practice to have "procedures" (like blood draws) done with the owner in the room but, it seems in recent years that more practices prefer to take the dog in the "back room". I'm not a fan of this "back room" and I usually try to stay with my dog if I can.

[Guest LindsaySF]

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, I like the vet to draw the blood from the leg rather than the neck. Most greyhounds have great veins in their legs so it should not be an issue. If they do draw from the neck, they need to keep pressure on for a longer time as there is more likelihood that it will bleed and if the person drawing the blood is not very experienced, they may not know this.

:nod

 

 

Sophie usually bleeds a bit after a blood draw, so they always put a bandage on her leg. She also sometimes bruises. It doesn't spread very far and goes away within 24 hours.

[Guest LynnM]

Every vet-client-patient relationship is different. I restrain my own dogs, and my vets are cool with that. They also know me well enough to trust that I'm not going to let them get bitten and that I can handle just about any freakout a dog can have. Some dogs act differently (less dramatic) when the owner is not present. If the vet feels this may be the case, let them try.

 

Lynn

[KF_in_Georgia]

My vet is fine with my being present during exams. Sam had blood drawn today (for lab work), and I held him still while the tech held Sam's leg. (This tech is very good. I can't see any mark from today's blood draw--can't even tell which leg it was.)

 

My dogs are good with the vet and the tech and generally don't object to anything being done. (Well, one time Sam let out a GSOD when the tech removed staples from Sam's leg. ) I'm a dog groomer and am used to handling dogs of all sizes, so my vet is comfortable when I restrain the dogs. I don't know if he'd be as happy about it under other circumstances. I haven't been present for their dentals (the dogs are dropped off in the morning, and often are not worked on for several hours), but I've been there when the vet needed to use a syringe to draw urine from Jacey's bladder. (I slowly fed her bits of kibble and she paid no attention to the vet and his needle.)

 

When I've had to take a dog to the ER, though, the injured dog has been taken to the back and not treated in my presence. I haven't gotten pushy about that situation, generally because I'm already so stressed and I often have the uninjured dog with me, too, so it's just easier to stay in the waiting room.

[TinyMityMo]

I hold my dogs for the blood draws and even hold off the vein to make it pop up for the needle (you hold their elbow with your thumb over the bend and then twist to one side).

When Bailey was undergoing chemotherapy I took phlebotomy stuff home and drew her blood myself and did much of her lab work in my lab.

[3vagreys]

My vet does NOT like us to come back with the dogs. My little Echo is really afraid there so now, after a couple of occasions when they looked like they were going to pull her head off, they allow us to take her in the back but not to stay with her. I really need to find another vet.

[Jackandgrey]

I don't know if they do it differently over here, but when Frisby has blood drawn they take it from his front leg and I have always been present to calm him and pet him. It is just assumed that you stay with your dog for most treatments(not x rays).

 

[Guest krystolla]

I've had vets take my kitties in the back to draw blood and others do it while I'm there. Some pets behave better when their people aren't there. Some pet owners don't handle needles well.

 

So I can understand why vets might want to take your dog in the back. But I know mine are fine letting me watch whatever I'm interested in whenever I ask too.

[Valencia]

I draw the blood from the greyhounds coming in our group, and I always pull from the neck. It's a million times easier, the blood pools better, and I rarely have any issues. Most of the dogs have no visible bruising or swelling; maybe one in 20 will have a hematoma, and that is usually caused by the dog being overactive while I physically have the needle in the neck. I do apply pressure to the vein after the puncture for a minute to make sure it clots. I think, at the end of the day, that some vet techs just don't have the experience in drawing blood, and it does take practice.... but a dog should never BLEED after a blood draw, that means they didn't apply pressure, and probably moved the needs around too much during the draw itself.

[Hawthorn]

I've had vets take blood from the neck and the leg, but have only had bruising with the neck. Sophie's quite nervous and got a bit freaked out when they tried to clip her neck but was much calmer when they clipped her leg, so all in all I prefer them to use the leg.

 

As regards taking them out the back, most vets have taken the blood in the consulting room, one or two have asked which I would prefer, and one always took them out the back without asking. Last time this happened, Sunny was gone for ages and came back upset (and he's not one to get upset easily) and later developed a bruise. I don't like to think what happened to him (trainee nurse getting some experience I expect) but I have since changed vets (for other reasons) and would always insist on being present in future.

[JAJ2010]

My vet does NOT like us to come back with the dogs. My little Echo is really afraid there so now, after a couple of occasions when they looked like they were going to pull her head off, they allow us to take her in the back but not to stay with her. I really need to find another vet.

 

I made that mistake once with Sunshine! Took 3 people to get her into the back. It was such a horrible experience for her. We have since then switched vets and I always ask to come back with her. I just explain that she had a really bad experience at a previous vet, and it took 3 people to muscle her back there. It's much more pleasant to just have her follow me back. For our last blood pull they just did it in the room after I explained. They even warned me that she might yelp when the needle went in, but I knew she would be fine. She is a needle champ.

 

Rainy on the other hand is better behaved without me there sometimes. Since I now have a vet who has her own grey I feel comfy letting her take Rainy back without any worries.

 

Sucks that you always have to second guess the vets and staff...