Drawing Blood

WOW! I did it. Finally! It was my first time to draw blood from goats.

I've been studying up and asking a lot of questions. Now I just need the vials to do my goats. In the meantime, a friend needed to get her goaties tested again asked me to help. I went and turned into the goatie vampire!

It really is different from goat to goat. Some have fleshy necks that the vein can just up and disappear. Some the vein just stays right there for you and you can get them quick and easy! Then the rest all fall somewhere in between.

I had a VERY hard time with the ones I ended up sticking more than once. A couple I was trying to not let put me into tears or I wouldn't have been able to see what I was doing.

I'm glad the first time is over. I only wish I hadn't had to stick some of them so many times. Goats are sure stoic when the going gets tuff. Poor goaties.... having to teach me a necessary method of a vital function.

Some of the Boer show folks have some grooming stands that would sure be awesome to have for blood testing too. They have a "cup" for the goat's jaw area to rest on and a strap over the back of the ears to hold them in that spot. That would be a WHOLE lot easier than a milk stand as the head gate is in the way of accessing the goat's neck easily with some of them.

I need a new milkstand and I need a grooming stand!

Now I need to find the vials so I can get mine tested too. Some have been tested but it's time to test them again and get the others done. It's the responsible thing for me to do!