1st Blood Draw

Viktor gave blood for the first time a few weekends ago. I’m only just now getting around to writing about it because I’ve been down with a rather persistent head cold. But he did so well: he was a Champ - I was the nervous one.

His appointment was at 3:00, so around 2:30 I bundled him up in his crate with his hot water bottle and a blanket (don’t judge me: it’s cold out there) and headed off down the road to the vet’s office. We checked in and waited perhaps 5 minutes before a vet tech came out to explain the process to me one more time, and then took him on back to the procedure room.

So then I had to occupy myself somehow for almost 2 hours before I could pick him back up and take him home. I sat at a café and tried to eat lunch and went to a few stores to browse the isles, but really all I did was worry about my boy.

He basically slept through it all. They gave him some sleepy medicine and shaved his neck to expose his jugular vein. The blood draw went quickly and without any problems.

When I finally was able to pick him up, the vet tech explained that he was still a little loopy from the medication they’d given to relax him but that he should be back to normal within 24 hours. At the moment, he was “extremely affectionate” she said, laughing. Most cats get hyperactive from the meds – but apparently Viktor is an “I love you” drunk! (sorta like my brother, come to think of it)

His scrawny little neck is all bare now, but the hair will grow back. Probably just in time for him to give again. I wonder if he might end up permanently bald because of all this?