Blood

Question 1

What equipment is needed to take a blood sample?

Answer 1

• Needle (19-23 gauge dependant on patient), should be sterile and disposable
• Syringe (2ml-5ml dependant on patient size), clean, dry and disposable
• Gloves
• Clippers
• Tourniquet
• Clean swab
• Bandage material
• Swab soaked in cleaning solution (chlorhexidine or surgical spirit)
• Sample tube labelled with patient details (different tubes, dependant on test required)

Question 2

What is a serum tube used for?

Answer 2

This tube has a fluid compartment of which removed clotting factors, this allows the blood to clot. Should be stored at 2-8⁰C for a few days but -20⁰C for long term.

Question 3

What is a EDTA tube used for?

Answer 3

pink, for haemotology

Question 4

What is a heparin tube used for?

Answer 4

orange, for biochemistry

Question 5

What is a oxalate tube used for?

Answer 5

Yellow, for glucose

Question 6

What is a sodium fluoride/ potassium oxalate tube used for?

Answer 6

Yellow, for glucose

Question 7

What is a sodium citrate tube used for?

Answer 7

Blue, for coagulation profiles

Question 8

How is blood collected from a patient?

Answer 8

Patient should be restrained, and have the blood collection site cleaned with surgical spirit or chlorhexidine.
Gloves are worn, when taking a blood sample. The vein is then felt so that it is known where blood is to be collected from. The needle is prepared with an appropriate sized needle to the patient and an appropriate sized syringe. The patients vein is then swabbed to clean the area the sample is taken from. The person restraining the patient, then raises the vein and blood sample taken. Pressure is then put on the place from which blood was taken. A pressure bandage is then applied to the wound.

Question 9

What considerations should be made when putting blood into a blood tube?

Answer 9

When putting blood into sample tube, the needle should be removed so that damage isn’t caused to the blood cells and then gently expelled. The blood should also be transferred to the collection tube ASAP as blood clots 10-20 seconds after contact with tissue. Enough blood should always be collected to fill to the required level. You should never draw back on plunger, as this may cause the vein to collapse.

Question 10

What are the common collection sites in a dog?

Answer 10

cephalic, jugular, lateral saphenous

Question 11

What are the common collection sites for a cat?

Answer 11

cephalic, jugular, lateral saphenous

Question 12

What are the common collection sites for a rabbit?

Answer 12

cephalic, jugular, lateral saphenous, marginal ear