Influence of physical restraint and restraint-facilitating drugs on blood measurements of white-tailed deer and other selected mammals

Blood samples were serially collected from 99 captive and 30 wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), 84 cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), and greater than 500 laboratory white mice (Mus musculus) while subjected to various methods of restraint in the process of blood collection. The methods of restraint for deer included 3 drugs (Succinylcholine chloride [SCC], RO-5-3448, and phencyclidine hydrochloride plus promazine hydrochloride [PH + P]), physical restraint, and sacrifice by shooting. Packed cell volumes (PCV) were highest in deer while manually restrained. PCV declined moderately following SCC and RO-5-3448 administration and decreased dramatically following PH + P administration. Total proteins generally were highest during manual restraint and declined in a similar manner as PCV with all drug treatments. PCV and total proteins of shot deer were variable. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and androgen hormones (males) apparently were unaffected by the method of restraint. Androgens changed erratically throughout the sampling period due probably to inherent diel pulsations. Glucose and glucocorticoids levels were highest in deer sampled during SCC-treatments. Glucose levels were variable in all other treatments. Corticoids levels were also high in manually restrained deer. Corticoids tended to be lowest following PH + P and RO-5-3448 administration and in shot deer. Progestin levels increased following SCC-treatment and manual restraint. Progestins decreased or did not change following RO-5-3448 and PH + P administration and after shooting. Estrone levels increased following SCC-treatment in wild deer. Increased progestin and estrone levels were probably secreted by the adrenal under stress. Different methods of restraint generally had effects on mice and rabbits consistent with those observed in deer.