Clinical procedures for sheep and goats are very similar to those for cattle. The following procedures are described for cattle in Chapter 11. All procedures should be followed as they are discussed for cattle; however, this chapter outlines necessary alterations to perform these procedures on small ruminants.

Diagnostic Sampling

Venous Blood Sampling

Preparation for venous blood collection is the same as described for cattle in Chapter 11. The jugular vein is most often used for venous sampling. In sheep, the jugular vein can be accessed with the animal standing or in the “set-up” rump position (Fig. 15-1).

Technician Note

Sheep often are placed in the “set-up” position for jugular blood draws.

In goats, the standing position is used for jugular venipuncture. For the standing procedure in both goats and sheep, the animal is straddled and squeezed between the handler’s legs; it is helpful to back the animal against a solid object. One person can access the vein, but two people can be used if desired.

Technician Note

Goats are often restrained in a standing position for jugular blood draws.

The cephalic vein on the forearm or the femoral vein on the hindleg of sheep also can be used. The cephalic vein in sheep can be accessed in the set-up rump position. Lateral recumbency is required for access to the femoral vein.

The cephalic vein on the forearm or the femoral vein on the hindleg of goats also can be used. Goats can remain standing for cephalic vein access. Backing the goat against a solid object is helpful. One person restrains the animal by circling the animal’s neck with one arm while the other hand rolls the vein laterally and occludes it. The person drawing the sample needs to hold the distal limb to steady it.

The animal is appropriately restrained. If wool or hair is present, it is parted over and along the selected vein. Alcohol is suitable for disinfecting the skin. An 18-, 19-, 20-, or 22-gauge (ga), 1- to -inch needle is used, depending on the size of the animal; 20-ga is generally preferred. Vacutainer systems also can be used.

Normal values for complete blood count and blood chemistry for sheep and goats are listed in Tables 15-1 to 15-4.

TABLE 15-1

Complete Blood Count Normal Values for Sheep

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT
Packed cell volume	24%–50% (average 38)
Hemoglobin	8–16 g/dl (average 12)
Red blood cells	8–16 × 106 /µl (average 12)
Total protein	6–7.5 g/dl
White blood cells	4–12 × 103/µl (average 8)
Platelets	2.5–7.5 × 105/µl (average 4)
Mean corpuscular volume	23–48 fl (average 33)
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin	9–13 pg
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration	31–38 g/gl (average 33.5)
Bone marrow	0.77–1.68 : 1 myeloid/erythroid ratio (average 1.1 : 1)
DIFFERENTIAL, ABSOLUTE
Segs	10%–50%
	700–6000 (average 2400)
Bands	Rare
Lymphocytes	40%–75%
	2000–9000 (average 5000)
Monocytes	0.6%
	0–750 (average 200)
Eosinophils	0.1%
	0–1000 (average 400)
Basophils	0%–3%
	0–300 (average 50)

TABLE 15-2

Complete Blood Count Normal Values for Goats

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT
Packed cell volume	22%–38%
Hemoglobin	12.8–17.6 g/dl
Red blood cells	11.3–17.5 × 106 /µl
Total protein	6.5–7 g/dl
White blood cells	4–13 × 103/µl
Platelets	3–6 × 105/µl
Mean corpuscular volume	16–25 fl
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin	5.2–8 pg
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration	30–36 g/gl
Bone marrow	0.7–1.0 : 1 myeloid/erythroid ratio
DIFFERENTIAL, ABSOLUTE
Segs	30%–48%
	1.2–7.2
Bands	Rare
Lymphocytes	50%–70%
	2–9
Monocytes	0%–4%
	0–0.55
Eosinophils	1%–8%
	0.05–0.65
Basophils	0%–1%
	0–0.12

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