Blood gas measurement allows interpretation of oxygenation, ventilation, acid-base status, and some electrolyte abnormalities, which can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of many metabolic and/or respiratory dysfunctions. If veterinary technicians gain an understanding of blood gas analysis, they will be able to better identify patients that would benefit from the diagnostic, obtain appropriate samples, review the results, and discuss the interpretation with the veterinarian to make adjustments to individual patient care. This presentation will review how to collect and handle arterial blood samples to reduce sampling errors and provide some case examples of arterial blood gases for interpretation.
