Getting blood from a squirrel!!

Re: Getting blood from a squirrel!!

A-J — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:41:02 GMT

are io fluids an option?

Re: Getting blood from a squirrel!!

Celine — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:50:21 GMT

Thanks guys

Gillian - we're all a bit too scared to do a cut-down, given that our only real vein options are femoral or jugular. Anything like saphenous or cephalic has such a dense pelt over it that we can barely get clippers through it, and the other "good" vein is the lateral tail vein, where the skin is very firmly attached to the underlying tissue. Nightmare animal.

Sal - Thanks yes we were talking about IP fluids, will see how she does and reassess.

Cheers guys!

Re: Getting blood from a squirrel!!

Sal the 1st — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:11:49 GMT

from somebody who used to do taxidermy I can tell you a grey squirrels skin is very tough so if your squirrel is similar I would imagine it would be difficult to get a cannula in without a cut down.

dont know if this helps or not but where i have worked in the past we have given fluids i/p to a squirrel which did very well

Re: Getting blood from a squirrel!!

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:17:49 GMT

Sorry if this is obvious - but have you tried a cut-down? If you tent and then cut the skin with a scalpel in the area you expect the vein to be, such as saphenous - you can usually see the vein. A dab of tissue glue is usually enough to close the skin if the cutdown is quite large.