Internal Medicine  Other Procedures  Joint taps (Arthrocentesis)
Dogs have a non-responsive fever, stiffness on rising,
difficulty walking, or swollen joints often require a joint tap
to determine the cause of their disease. This procedure is done
under light sedation that also provides pain control, and it is
performed using sterile technique to avoid any possibility of
infection. The area around the carpus (wrist) and tarsus (ankle)
is clipped and cleaned with surgical scrub, and a small needle
is inserted into the joint space for collection of a couple
drops of joint fluid. This is submitted immediately to our
clinical pathology lab for assessment.  Bone marrow
aspiration/biopsy  Dogs or cats with anemia, decreased or
abnormal white blood cells, or decreased platelets sometimes
require collection of a sample from the bone marrow to determine
the most likely disease process causing the abnormality detected
in the blood. Animals are lightly sedated for the process with
medications that control pain, and a l