Pain on blood draw??

[Sher]

Lily had her annual check up today. Shots didn't bother her at all, but she really yelped liked 10 times as they were drawing blood. Really freaked me out, since I don't remember her making maybe but a small whimper last year. It was 2 females and the one that was holding her was new. I even thought maybe she was holding her too tight or something. I just don't think drawing blood out of an animal should involve that much pain. Lily is not a sissy (I don't think)... at least she wasn't last year. Did this person (not the vet) not do it right? Any thoughts on this? TIA

 

[smkie]

Maybe the vet tech was new and afraid she was going to hurt her. Lily might have picked up on that anxiety and felt she was being hurt. I have blood drawn every two weeks. Sometimes it does hurt more then others too.

 

[ACooper]

I think we've all had enough shots and blood draws to know that sometimes it hurts more than others depending on the skill of the one doing the job............and maybe even sometimes our own moods.

Both my dogs are very stoic about pain, so when they give a whine I know something sincerely hurts. The same Vet (not a tech) draws the blood on both my dogs every year for the HW check............sometimes one of mine will give a whine or whimper, and sometimes they get through it with a smile.

I'd say Lily is fine and it might have been a little more uncomfortable than a needle prick and she was letting you know about it, LOL

 

[Sher]

I wouldn't have been too concerned if Lily had just given a "whimper" or two, but this was like 10 of those loud yelps, screams, that lasted about 10 seconds, which I have never heard her do before. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced the vet tech couldn't find a vein or something.... I know Lily experienced more pain than she had to. Last year I think she might have yelped once, which is expected, but to go on that long, just isn't right. I know, it's over now and Lily has hopefully forgotten all about it, but it really bothers me and I just want to make sure someone qualified does the blood draw next time.... at least I am going to be at the front end of the dog instead of the back end where I can see what is going on.

 

[elegy]

i think some dogs just don't like it. they don't like being restrained. they don't like being poked. they just don't like it and so they yell about it. i had a poodle who would scream her fool head off any time she needed blood drawn and i *know* we were not hurting her in any meaningful way.

 

[babymomma]

Ussually next to the larger veign that they aim for, there is a much smaller one. Its possible they got the small one instead and that can become painful.

 

[smkie]

THe nurse did that to my son when he was an infant. She stuck him over nad over and over until i took him away to make her stop. THey sent us to the lab where the tech used a micro needle and thank goodness she took extra blood because when we got back to the doctor there was one test they forgot and wanted to stick him again. From that day on...even tho he was a wee little guy he flipped out when he saw a stethescope. I would have to ask doctors and nurses to hide it until it was necessary because it made him scream.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

It does depend on the skill of the tech taking the blood. The one who took her blood probley didn't have the best technique.

 

[Bigpoodleperson]

Alot of dogs react to the being held still part. Im sure it had Nothing to do with who was holding her, and probably not much to do with who was poking her. Of corse she felt some pain, it is a needle. Alot of dogs just tend to as i like to call it "throw a tantrum". They just get their little minds going on something like being held still by a stranger, and then they overreact from there. Im sure she was not in as much pain as it sounded.
I draw blood everyday from dogs, and i hold dogs every day to be drawn for blood. I see this all the time. When i draw blood, i know i do a good job. I could bet money on the ones who are going to carry on like that. You can just see it in their faces that they are going to scream before you even poke them.

 

[wishbone]

Sometimes maybe it hurts on some parts or due to dog/person movements.