Now I've just had two dogs in recently for dental surgery, Epic didn't need to have blood work being so young but he has a bit shaved from the top of his leg as he had to have a drip during the proceedure. Revel did have blood taken but they haven't shaved his neck - this is a different (better) practice than I used as described in my last post. Presumably they drew the blood from the leg.
However, here's a tale to make your hair stand on end.
Three years ago, Revel had a bout of acute and severe prostatitis. It was treated and reoccured so when the second (correct) treatement appeared to have worked, I asked to have a full blood panel taken just to be sure there were no underlying issues. Knowing he was a show dog (they deal a lot with show people) they opted not to shave. I was present so saw everything and this was a vet, not nurse or technician. No exaggeration they put that needle in his neck at least 10 times to get the blood, and this was the second attempt as on a previous visit the blood had clotted before the tests could be done. My brave dog was so stoical he never complained but it was horrendous to watch and after about 6 attempts, a second vet arrived and also had a go, so there were two fully qualified vets in attendance unable to draw blood from the jugular. I will add that he did have some hair shaved from the neck after a few attempts because I was getting very concerned - and even then, they couldn't get that blood. I didn't know whether to call a halt and have to face returning for a repeat performance on yet another occasion, or carry on letting them put holes in my dog until they hit upon a vein, it was truly awful.
(Understandably, once the treatment was complete I never went back there, not least because I had also had to fight to have the correct antibiotics for the longer course and insist they did a urine culture! I'm certain had this been done in the first place he wouldn't have had the reoccurance!)
However, here's a tale to make your hair stand on end.
Three years ago, Revel had a bout of acute and severe prostatitis. It was treated and reoccured so when the second (correct) treatement appeared to have worked, I asked to have a full blood panel taken just to be sure there were no underlying issues. Knowing he was a show dog (they deal a lot with show people) they opted not to shave. I was present so saw everything and this was a vet, not nurse or technician. No exaggeration they put that needle in his neck at least 10 times to get the blood, and this was the second attempt as on a previous visit the blood had clotted before the tests could be done. My brave dog was so stoical he never complained but it was horrendous to watch and after about 6 attempts, a second vet arrived and also had a go, so there were two fully qualified vets in attendance unable to draw blood from the jugular. I will add that he did have some hair shaved from the neck after a few attempts because I was getting very concerned - and even then, they couldn't get that blood. I didn't know whether to call a halt and have to face returning for a repeat performance on yet another occasion, or carry on letting them put holes in my dog until they hit upon a vein, it was truly awful.
(Understandably, once the treatment was complete I never went back there, not least because I had also had to fight to have the correct antibiotics for the longer course and insist they did a urine culture! I'm certain had this been done in the first place he wouldn't have had the reoccurance!)
