Plus-Hex CLINICAL are needed to determine whether the results can be replicated in samples taken via other veins , such as the jugular .
The method was changed after the first week and so differed between the two halves of the sample group . The reason for the change was that there was little or no growth of bacteria in samples taken during the first week , which could have been due to the alcohol not evaporating completely before sampling . This would have resulted in the disinfectant being absorbed in the swab and transferred to the agar plates , preventing bacterial growth .
It was therefore decided to allow the disinfectant sufficient time to evaporate before sampling . Further samples were taken before disinfection during the second week to study the extent of the bacterial growth .
The change in the method could be considered a source of error , and considered to have created two different studies , impacting on half of the sample group . However , since the results were the same after the method change it is not considered to have affected the overall result .
Previous studies have shown that clipping can cause small wounds on the surface of the skin . Therefore , a dog that had been clipped before the study might have had more bacteria on its skin , as bacteria grow well in blood [ 4 ] . However , the results of this study did not show a higher bacterial presence in the dogs that showed erythema or traces of blood on the skin .
Conclusions
Based on the results from this sample group , there is no difference between clipping and not clipping before a blood test , in terms of hygiene , provided disinfection is performed . However , clipping may be advantageous for the visual localisation of the cephalic vein . Moreover , the study did not show any hygienic disadvantage to clipping .
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Lise-Lotte Fernström and Ingrid Hansson , Clinical Sciences , SLU , for their excellent assistance with this paper , including design , laboratory work and preparing the manuscript .
REFERENCES
1 Orpet H , Welsh P . Collection of samples . In : Handbook of Veterinary Nursing . 2nd ed . Chichester : Wiley-Blackwell ; 2011 . p . 313 – 317 .
2 Brown C . Administration of fluid therapy . In : Aspinall V . ( ed .) Clinical Procedures in Veterinary Nursing . 3rd ed . Oxford : Butterworth Heinemann Elsevier ; 2014 . p . 63 – 80 .
3 Irwin-Porter G , Laboratory diagnostic aids . In : Cooper B , Mullineaux E , Turner L , Greet T . ( eds .) Textbook of Veterinary Nursing . 5th ed . Gloucester : BSAVA ; 2011 . p . 508 – 536 .
4 Mitsuishi M , Oshikata T , Kumabe S , Kobayashi A , Katoku K , Kanno T , et al . Histological dermal changes caused by preparation and application procedures in percutaneous dose toxicity studies in dogs , rabbits and rats . Journal of Toxicologic Pathology . 2015 ; 28 ( 1 ): 1 – 9 . Available from : https :// doi . org / 10.1293 / tox . 2014-0021 .
5 Messiaen Y , MacLellan JD , Pelsue DH . Evaluation of the number of colony forming units on the skin of dogs after clipping the hair with two sizes of clipper blades . American Journal of Veterinary Research . 2019 ; 80 ( 9 ): 862 – 867 . Available from : https :// doi . org / 10.2460 / ajvr . 80.9.862 .
6 Nationalencyklopedin . Erythema . Available from : https :// www . ne . se / uppslagsverk / encyklopedi / l % C3 % A5ng / erytem [ Accessed 17 February 2021 ].
7 Lavallée JM , Shmon C , Beaufrère H , Chirino-Trejo M , Linn K . Influence of clipping on bacterial contamination of canine arthrocentesis sites before and after skin preparation . Veterinary Surgery . 2020 ; 49 ( 7 ): 1307 – 1314 . Available from : https :// doi . org / 10.1111 / vsu . 13468 .
8 Paterson S . Atopic dermatitis . The Veterinary Nurse . 2018 ; 9 ( 4 ): 194 – 200 . Available from : https :// doi . org / 10.12968 / vetn . 2018.9.4.194 .
9 Pioneer Veterinary Products . Isis Cordless Clipper . Available from : https :// pioneervet . co . uk / product / 381 / isis-cordless-clipper [ Accessed 3 December 2024 ].
On the basis of the results of this study , clipping was not a crucial part of hygiene when taking blood samples , whereas disinfection was found to be important .
The null hypothesis that there would be no statistically significant difference between clipping and not clipping before blood sampling could not be rejected .
The sample group of dogs in this study was limited and homogeneous . Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of clipping on other dogs , for example , with variations in breed , coat type , age and habitat .
In practice , preparations for blood sampling should be tailored to the needs of each patient . Clipping before blood sampling via the cephalic vein can , according to the results of this study , be considered voluntary .
Volume 40 ( 1 ) • February 2025
35