<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1555" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000>All of this can be headed off by obtaining the urine sample at home and bringing it in to the vet with the piggie. Just put your piggie in a very, very clean, empty rubbermaid-type storage box and keep it right next to you till the piggie pees. scoop up the piggie immediately and put him or her back in his or her cage. syringe up the urine and put it in a small, scrupulously clean bottle (or even leave it in the syringe, and put the syringe in a small plastic bag). refrigerate till you go to the vet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000>this will not produce a guaranteed-sterile urine sample, which may be what the vet was going for by using a needle (in that case, if there are bacteria in the sample you KNOW there is infection. by any other means, the sample could be contaminated.) however, it's pretty darn good, and utterly painless. if you are looking for blood, sludge, etc., rather than infection, it's perfect.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000>other than that, very slight pressure on the piggie's bladder will usually produce an immediate sample at the vet's office (where the piggie is probably scared anyway). there is no need to squeeze.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Franklin Gothic Book" color=#800000>Amy</FONT></DIV><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Start the year off right. <A title="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" href="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" target="_blank">Easy ways to stay in shape</A> in the new year. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>