# Pulling bloods



## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

My kit for pulling bloods will be here early next week. I was wondering if there were any links/ videos on how to pull blood? And where to take the blood from on them? It is for pregnacy tests of that makes any difference. And is there any techniques on getting them to stay still for the blood tests? 
I have pulled bloods on horses but not any other animal.


Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

There are videos on YouTube. I'd also shave an area on the neck if it's your first time. Makes seeing the vein so much easier.


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## Jdillio1988 (Jul 22, 2014)

I just recently found out that pulling blood from a goat is just like pulling blood from other animals. First you have to shave a small patch of hair about 3inches from the middle of the neck (either the left or right side). Then take one hand and occlude the jugular vein on thr same side that you shaved. To occlude the vein just put pressure in the jugular furrow ( this is the spot right next to the breast done, it kind of sinks in). Then with the other hand, use you find tips to feel for the occluded jugular vein. After a couple of seconds you should be able to feel the jugular vein rolling around. Once you think you have found it release your other hand from occluding it and see if it goes away. If it does then you know you have found it. Sometime tendons and muscles in the neck feel like the jugular. After that occlude the vein again, get your needle and syringe and aim for It with that bevel of the needle facing up. If you don't get blood after 2 or 3 tries I would stop and try again later OR see if you can get an experienced person to help. Hope that helps!!!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I did not shave an area because it is too cold here. Takes a little more effort but wasn't a problem. If you do a search on drawing blood on a goat, videos should show up. I used the one that Dave from TDG Farm made.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

On the website for the pregnacy testing it says about pulling blood from the tail, but can I pull from the neck? It looks a lot easier!


Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

I pulled from the neck.


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## Jdillio1988 (Jul 22, 2014)

I pulled from the neck as well.


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## DoubleR (Jan 13, 2014)

Generally we always pull blood from the tail on cattle. I've never heard of it being done on any other animal. 
It would be a rodeo on a goat! Lol!


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## zlatehskinder (Dec 31, 2014)

Bree, where did you order your kit? I would like to get a kit and send in for pregnancy and CAE testing. THANKS.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I ordered through pregtest Australia which is part of biotracking. 


Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Jdillio1988 said:


> I just recently found out that pulling blood from a goat is just like pulling blood from other animals. First you have to shave a small patch of hair about 3inches from the middle of the neck (either the left or right side). Then take one hand and occlude the jugular vein on thr same side that you shaved. To occlude the vein just put pressure in the jugular furrow ( this is the spot right next to the breast done, it kind of sinks in). Then with the other hand, use you find tips to feel for the occluded jugular vein. After a couple of seconds you should be able to feel the jugular vein rolling around. Once you think you have found it release your other hand from occluding it and see if it goes away. If it does then you know you have found it. Sometime tendons and muscles in the neck feel like the jugular. After that occlude the vein again, get your needle and syringe and aim for It with that bevel of the needle facing up. If you don't get blood after 2 or 3 tries I would stop and try again later OR see if you can get an experienced person to help. Hope that helps!!!!


Good advise. I don't mind telling everyone how terrible I was at drawing blood, in case anyone else has had previous trouble with it. Yesterday, I FINALLY THINK I HAVE IT FIGURED OUT! I have a doe I wanted blood on and I poked the heck out of her on Wednesday and got nothing. You would have thought I would hit the vein on accident once, sheesh. And this wasn't my first time I've failed. I've watched my vet and friends do it and I couldn't figure out why I couldn't do it. Especially since I can hit the jugular on a horse in the dark. After this latest failure, I went to the youtube videos and saw a couple that actually showed the vein pop out a little after putting the thumb pressure and tapping a little on the groove. I went back outside and put the difficult doe on my grooming stand, shaved her neck, swabbed it with alcohol, put the thumb pressure, tapped the spot a couple of times like the videos, and voila', up pops a vein. I tapped into it, like I've done a million times before on a horse, and got all the blood I needed. I feel even stupider now, but I have confidence I can do it again.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

great post Tenacross. The smallest thing can make a total difference. From turning or lowering the head, to making sure the collar isnt stopping blood flow, to where you place your thumb, to how far you push the needle in. Then there are the goats with small veins. I have one that I swear is 1/3 the size of anyone else and is always a challenge. 

I have literally done thousands of draws and even as late as last fall I just simply could not find the vein on one of our breeding bucks.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

TDG-Farms said:


> great post Tenacross. The smallest thing can make a total difference. From turning or lowering the head, to making sure the collar isnt stopping blood flow, to where you place your thumb, to how far you push the needle in. Then there are the goats with small veins. I have one that I swear is 1/3 the size of anyone else and is always a challenge.
> I have literally done thousands of draws and even as late as last fall I just simply could not find the vein on one of our breeding bucks.


We'll see what happens when I try to do it again. I have a few late breeders I should send blood in on to preg test. I probably shouldn't brag yet. For me, "the smallest thing" was "looking for it" (seeing it), instead of thinking I could "feel" it. Once I saw it (the vein), on the videos, then I realized it was pretty much in the same place as a horse. I still don't quite know why my same technique I've used for ever on a horse wasn't working. Anyway, I'm going to keep taking the extra time to shave and swab with alcohol for awhile.

You have a video you made TDG? Can you hook us up? I would love to see it.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Sure thing


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

TDG-Farms said:


> Sure thing


Ha. That is one of the videos I saw that helped me. I just didn't know it was you. Thanks!


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

TDG-Farms said:


> Sure thing


Wow, your video made blood pulling look effortless! And the goat didn't even flinch.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

The hardest part about blood drawing is the paper work and packaging


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## DoubleR (Jan 13, 2014)

TDG-Farms said:


> The hardest part about blood drawing is the paper work and packaging


You can say that again!


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

TDG-Farms said:


> The hardest part about blood drawing is the paper work and packaging


9 times out of 10 I forget the paperwork or the check until after I've taped up everything.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I pulled the bloods yesterday! Will send them today. I was so nervous about it as it was my first time and poor Hilda I decided to start with. I think I jabbed her 4 times then felt bad so went to try jazzy and got it first time! On her it was so obvious where to take the blood from  then I went back to Hilda and got it on the 2nd go. She was so patient and well behaved! Then zelda took 2 goes as well. My poor girls having to endure that! But they got heaps of treats after and seemed to forget what had happened almost straight away when the sultanas came out! 



Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Bree_6293 said:


> I pulled the bloods yesterday! Will send them today. I was so nervous about it as it was my first time and poor Hilda I decided to start with. I think I jabbed her 4 times then felt bad so went to try jazzy and got it first time! On her it was so obvious where to take the blood from  then I went back to Hilda and got it on the 2nd go. She was so patient and well behaved! Then zelda took 2 goes as well. My poor girls having to endure that! But they got heaps of treats after and seemed to forget what had happened almost straight away when the sultanas came out!
> 
> Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


I'm so envious of you! Yay! I have to get this done for one preg test and this years bio security screening. It's a hundred a goat at the vets. I hope my goats are as cooperative

Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I was so surprised! When I got Hilda and zelda 3 and a bit months ago they were un handled and now they come up for attention but I thought jabbing them might be too much to ask but apparently not  jazzy is still pretty wild but I had a hand holding her still to make it easier  
Good luck with your girl 


Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## glndg (Feb 8, 2013)

TDG-Farms said:


> great post Tenacross. The smallest thing can make a total difference. From turning or lowering the head, to making sure the collar isnt stopping blood flow, to where you place your thumb, to how far you push the needle in. Then there are the goats with small veins. I have one that I swear is 1/3 the size of anyone else and is always a challenge.
> 
> I have literally done thousands of draws and even as late as last fall I just simply could not find the vein on one of our breeding bucks.


I have had a vet do it for me a few times. I have to learn to do it myself. Im sure my vet has done it thousands of times, and usually the procedure goes extremely fast. One time, on one goat, even the vet had a hard time and had to try a few times before getting it. It happens.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

TDG,your video is the best I've seen. I will be reviewing it. A lot!


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

Yes that's the video I used  very helpful 


Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Very happy it could help. Run through it a little fast and shoulda slowed down a bit but as long as it helps  We did blood draws today ourselves. All 35 animals done in under 2 hours  And thats with a few multimin 90 shots, a few calvary 9 shots and 3 hoof trimmings. The only problem one was our older buck. He tightens up all his muscles in his neck when you told him. That along with the bigger neck due to the rut, and I just couldnt find his vein. So we had to grab the clippers to shave his nasty hair. Then it was like, "OH there it is." done  I couldnt do him last year for the same reason but as we are getting a new buck, we will be putting him and our other buck up for sale soon and a current negative test is always a good selling point.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

Oh I clipped all of mine haha and it still took 30 mins for 3 of them! Haha


Owned by 16 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 cats, 9 parrots and too many chickens to count!


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

It was so funny. Our older does thought it was deworming time. They were stretching the corners of their mouths back and smacking anticipating a dosing syringe to be shoved in. We only just started using Cydectin oral sheep so they are still thinking its going to be the nasty taste of the pour on. Its pretty bad when I old goat remembers how bad something is when all you arent even going to give it and instead just holding her for a blood draw. Dont think they will ever forget how bad it was.


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