Exotics Flashcards
List the blood sampling sites for lizards
- Ventral coccygeal vein
- Jugular vein
- Ventral abdominal vein
Describe the method for sampling blood from the ventral coccygeal vein of a lizard
- Entry 1/3rd down the tail to avoid hemipenes and anal glands
- Can go ventral or lateral
- Ventral: needle at 30-40° angle to tail, keep going until hit blood or bone, if hit bone pull needle back and try again
- Lateral: palpate lateral processes and direct needle just underneath and aim towards midline
Describe the method for blood sampling from the jugular vein of lizards
- Blind approach along imaginary line from dorsal ear to shoulder
- Transillumination can be used to highlight veins in sedated animals
- Often quite superficial
What are the main advantages of sampling blood from the jugular in lizards?
- Useful in large, longer neck species
- Jugular least likely to get lymph contamination
Discuss the use of the ventral abdominal vein for blood sampling in lizards
- May be visualised in some species
- Difficult to prevent haematomas
- Not often used
- Risk of liver damage
List the sites for blood sampling in snakes
- Ventral coccygeal vein
- Palatine veins
- Heart
Discuss the value of the ventral coccygeal vein for sampling blood in snakes
- In most species presented with, is not distinct, may get blood but is not the vein
- In venomous species coccygeal is well developed, but rarely see these
Outline the disadvantages of using the palatine veins for blood sampling in snakes
- Prone to haematoma formation
- Large, anaesthetised snakes only
- May exacerbate anorexia
- Risk of striking if not anaesthetised
Describe the method for blood sampling from the heart in snakes
- Dorsal recumbency
- Heart located visually, with doppler or ultrasound
- Stabilise heart between thumb and finger
- Needle entry ventral midline at 30° angle in cranial direction aiming for caudal point of ventricle
- May get some blood, then stops due to contraction of heart in systole, in diastole will get blood again
Describe the advantages of blood sampling from the heart in snakes
- Virtually no damage if done correctly
- Heart muscle seals over entry wound
- Can be conscious
List the blood sampling sites in chelonia
- Jugular
- Subcarapacial
- Dorsal coccygeal vein
Describe blood sampling from the jugular vein in chelonia
- Along line from dorsal ear scale to shoulder
- Tends to be superficial and visible in some species
- Preferred route in chelonia, lowest risk of lymph contamination
- Easier in weak tortoise
What are the main risks of jugular sampling in chelonia?
- Not enough pressure on neck afterwards for a few mines can lead to very large haematoma
- Restraint can be difficult and stressful
Describe blood sampling from the sub-carapacial vein in chelonia
- Entry point craniodorsal midline where skin joins carapace
- Aim for point a junction of 1st and 2nd vertebral scute on midline
- May need to bend needle slightly
- Head may be retracted or extended
What are the main advantages of using the sub-carapacial vein for sampling in chelonia?
Good for species that may bite or won’t allow access to head
Describe the problems associated with sub-carapacial vein in chelonia for sampling and injection
- If too far cranial may sample lymph
- When head is retracted, cervical spine bends and risk pithing terrapin as go through spinal cord between the vertebrae
- Used as induction area, spinal cord can become acutely paralysed. Some recover after weeks, others don’t
Describe blood sampling from the dorsal coccygeal vein in chelonia
- Often superficial
- Aim as far cranial as possible
- Often lymph contaminated
- Better for induction rather than diagnostics
- Angle needle on midline, advance to either bone or blood
List the sites for blood sampling in the rabbit
- Marginal ear vein (first option)
- Jugular vein (second option)
- Central ear artery
- Cephalic and saphenous
Describe the method for sampling from the marginal ear vein
- Small (25G) needle and 1ml syringe
- Wrap in towel
What are the main risks associated with blood sampling from the ear in rabbits?
- Pinnal necrosis with poor/rough technique
- Irritating drugs, catheters and bandages can also cause pinnal necrosis
Compare blood sampling from the marginal ear vein and from the central ear artery in the rabbit
- Similar techniques
- In artery, blood pressure fills syringe, no negative pressure needed
Outline the disadvantages of using the jugular vein for blood sampling in the rabbit
- Dewlap can get in the way (esp. females)
- Poor/rough technique can cause blindness in ipsilateral eye
- Restraint may inhibit respiration
Outline the disadvantages of using the cephalic or saphenous for blood sampling in the rabbit
Can be easier for rabbit to kick out which disrupts sampling and can cause injury, proper restraint required
Describe blood sampling from the cephalic vein in guinea pigs
- More lateral vs rabbit
- Thick skin
- For catheter, first insert hypodermic needle then pass catheter through this
What is the most useful sampling site for large volumes of blood in small exotic mammals? (G-pig, rat, mouse, gerbil, hamser)
- Cranial vena cava
- In all but guinea pig, saphenous good too
List the blood sampling sites for rats, mice, gerbils and hamsters
- Lateral tail vein
- ventral tail artery
- Lateral saphenous vein or cranial vena cava
Compare the position of the jugular vein in cats and ferrets
Jugular more lateral in ferret than cat
Which site is best for blood sampling of uncommon exotic mammals?
Femoral vein, cranial vena cava also good
Outline the method for sampling blood from the femoral vein in uncommon exotic mammals
- Most require sedation or GA
- Place in lateral recumbency with leg to be sampled on table
- Apply pressure in proximal inguinal canal with index finger of free hand, palpate femoral pulse
- Direct needle slightly caudal to it in line with femur
- Keep slight negative pressure on syringe until flash of blood in hub
What are the most concerning complications that can occur as a result of blood sampling from the cranial vena cava?
- Pericardial effusion
- Cardiac tampenade
- Death
- In some species, e.g. guinea pig, heart lies very close to sample site
Describe the method for blood sampling from the cranial vena cava
- Thoracic radiograph first to assess any potential effects of pathology on anatomy
- Anaesthetised
- Dorsal recumbency, head extended, forelimbs retracted caudally
- 26G, 12mm needle or smaller
- Advanced from notch where first rib meets manubrium towards contralateral hindlimb
- Approximate 30° angle until blood flash
Explain the effect of anaesthesia on the blood sample of a ferret, and how this can be avoided
Will lower PCV - sample asap after sedation/induction to minimise splenic sequestration effect
What does a blue/purple tinge to the background of a reptile blood smear suggest?
Lymph is present - need to sample again
What is a species specific blood sampling problem with some species of reptiles, especially Geckos, regarding blood sampling from the tail and how can this be avoided?
Tail autotomy (dropping tail) in response to sampling. Avoid with GA or avoid using tail
Explain the safe volume of blood that may be taken from a reptile
- Circulating blood vol approx 5-8% of body weight
- May collect up to 10% of this i.e. 5-8ml/kg
- Generally use 1ml/kg
- Generally don’t need more than 2ml
What amount of blood can be taken from an ill reptile?
Half the normal amount i.e. 0.5ml/kg
Explain the safe volume of blood that may be taken from a rabbit
- Circulatory vol ~55-70ml/kg
- Can collect up to 10% i.e. 5.5-7ml/kg
- Rarely need more than 2ml
Explain the safe volume that can be taken from guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters and ferrets
- G pig: blood vol 70-75ml/kg, 0.1-0.2ml can be taken
- Rat, mouse, gerbil, hamster: blood vol 60-70mg/kg, collect 10%
- Ferret: blood vol 50-70ml/kg, collect 10%
Outline the typical haematology and biochemistry preparation for reptiles
- EDTA tends to hamolyse reptile blood cells, Li-heparin anicoag of choice
- Make 2 good smears
- Haematology usually manual
Why is thorough skin preparation prior to blood sampling required for reptiles?
Ski heavily contaminated: pseudomonas, salmonella, klebsiella, e coli, fungi common