![]() The area should be cleaned by starting in the center and working out toward the edge. Squeeze some of the excess scrub out of the gauze before applying it to the patient to make the process easier. Apply a small amount of the surgical scrub to a few pieces of gauze. This is accomplished by using the surgical scrub on the area. Once the vein has been located, the area needs to be properly cleaned to keep bacteria out of the needle insertion site. If it is difficult to locate the vein, a small amount of alcohol poured over the area where the vein is supposed to be will help locate it. The photographs in Figures 4 and 5 illustrate what the vein looks like before and after pressure.Īnimals that are overweight may have veins that are harder to locate because of excess fat. The pressure will cause the vein to pop up and be easy to see. The vein can be located by applying pressure with the thumb or fingers below the half-way point of the shaved area. The easiest way to locate the vein is to draw an imaginary line from the middle of the animal's eye down the side of its neck (Figure 3). It is important to be gentle and patient when restraining the animal. This leaves both hands available for the blood collection.Īn unruly animal can be dangerous to the assistants, the person drawing the blood, and to itself. ![]() Restraint of the head is accomplished by using the elbow and the upper arm to keep it held off to the side. The animal's head should be turned opposite to the side of collection, once again at a 30-degree angle. ![]() The handler should straddle the animal, place his or her knees behind the shoulders of the animal, and back the animal in a corner or against a wall to help control its hindquarters. Restraining an animal without assistance is better for those who have become proficient at drawing blood. Another assistant or a blocking stand (Figure 2) can help keep the animal from moving. The animal's body may also need to be restrained. The assistant should turn the head of the animal at a 30-degree angle to the side by holding the animal under its jaw to allow for easy access to the vein. Shaving an area allows for easier viewing of the vein and provides a clean area in order to minimize the chance of introducing dirt or bacteria into the vein with the needle.īlood sampling can be done with assistance or alone however, producers who are new at blood sampling will benefit from having assistance. Figure 2 shows an example of a sheep with a larger patch size for descriptive purposes. Use electric shears to shave a patch approximately 4 inches wide by 8 inches long. The company should specify the type of tube needed for the laboratory procedure to be done.Ĭorrectly position the animal for shearing. Red top tubes, or marble top tubes, are used for blood samples that need to clot and be centrifuged, so that the clear serum can be removed and tested. These tubes contain an anticoagulant that needs to be mixed with the blood once it has been drawn. Purple top tubes used for whole blood shipment are for DNA testing. The color of the stopper in the tube and the size of the tube are used for identification of the test being conducted. The syringe, needle, vacutainer, and surgical scrub can be acquired from a veterinarian or an animal health supply company.Ĭertain laboratories require that you ship the blood sample in specific vacutainers. 20-gauge by one inch or less vacutainer needle.Vacutainer needle holder (#1 & 2 in Figure 1).A few of the basic items needed when collecting blood from sheep are listed below: ![]() Proper equipment is needed to obtain a blood sample from sheep. Once the sample has been drawn, proper care and handling is important so that a high-quality representative sample is sent to the laboratory for evaluation. It is easier if animals are properly restrained, the sampling site is correctly prepared, adequate assistance is available, and all necessary equipment is gathered. Sheep are one of the easier animal species from which to draw blood. Producers can get blood samples drawn by using an animal health care professional or by learning to perform the task themselves.īlood sampling in sheep is fairly straightforward, and most producers, with experience, can become proficient at drawing blood. To run a DNA test on sheep, the most common and effective method is to submit a blood sample to the laboratory doing the analysis. They can also determine if the animal is a carrier of the spider lamb gene. Scientific advances have helped sheep producers genotype sheep for potential susceptibility to scrapie. Gerald Kelly, Manager of Sheep Teaching and Research Flock, Purdue University Mike Neary, Extension Sheep Specialist, Purdue University Becky Mitchell, Animal Sciences Student, Purdue University ![]()
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