Influence of chemical immobilization and physical restraint on packed cell volume, total protein, glucose, and blood urea nitrogen in blood of white-tailed deer

Blood samples were serially collected from captive and wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) while subjected to various methods of restraint in the process of blood collection. The methods of restraint included three drug treatments (succinylcholine chloride (SCC), RO-5-3448, and phencyclidine hydrochloride plus promazine hydrochloride (PH + P)) and physical restraint. Packed cell volumes (PCV) were highest in deer while they were 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. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) apparently was unaffected by the method or restraint. Glucose levels were highest in deer sampled during SCC treatments and were variable in all other treatments. All results of blood analyses, except BUN, appeared more closely related to and better explained by the relative stress at handling rather than an effect directly due to the handling method.