Venipuncture in Rabbits (Lapis) | Vetlexicon

Synonym(s): Blood collection, phlebotomy

Introduction

  • Essential to investigate health and disease, eg hematology, biochemistries, serology, etc, treat conditions, eg fluid therapy, and perform veterinary procedures such as anesthesia, contrast injection in a CT scan, etc.
  • Good technique and proper restraint are required.
  • Jugular vein → rapid, unobstructed flow of blood but restraint can be stressful and may require sedation.
  • Marginal auricular vein: easy to catheterize, but blood collection a bit more challenging due to easy collapse of the vein. The use of the central auricular artery is controversial, as clot formation can cause ischemic necrosis of the ear tip.
  • Peripheral veins, eg cephalic and saphenous: slow blood flow may produce sampling artefacts (hemolysis and microclots), but easier to locate than jugular and restraint is less stressful.
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Uses

Advantages

  • Simple technique.
  • Provides important diagnostic information.

Disadvantages

  • Restraint may be stressful to animals not used to handling.
  • Sedation may be required in some patients or for some venipuncture sites.
  • Assistant usually required to restrain rabbit and raise vein.

Technical problems

  • Slow blood flow in marginal ear vein, saphenous vein and cephalic vein may complicate the procedure.

Time required

Preparation

  • Few minutes to clip and prepare skin.
  • Up to 30 min is required for full skin thickness anesthesia using local anesthetic ointment Anesthesia: local, eg EMLA® Anesthesia: local - topical EMLA cream.
  • If sedation is used, onset time varies between drugs and route of administration Sedation.

Procedure

Decision taking

Criteria for choosing test

  • Blood volume of healthy rabbit is 55-75 ml/kg.
  • Sample volume should not exceed 10% of blood volume.
  • Between 5.5 and 7.5 ml can be safely drawn from a healthy rabbit.

Requirements

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Preparation

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Technique

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Aftercare

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Outcomes

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Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

  • Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
  • Ward M L (2006) Physical Examination and Clinical techniques. In: Manual of Rabbit Medicine & Surgery. 2nd edn. Eds: Meredith A & Flecknell P. BSAVA, Gloucester, England. ISBN: 978-0-905214-96-2. pp 18-36.
  • Mader D (2004) Basic Approach to Veterinary Care: Clinical techniques. In: Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery (Includes sugar gliders and hedgehogs) 2nd edn. Eds: Quesenberry K E & Carpenter J W. W B Saunders, St, Louis, USA. ISBN: 0-7216-9377-6. pp 150-151.
  • Brown F (2002) Textbook of Rabbit Medicine. Eds: Harcourt-Brown F. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, England ISBN: 0 7506-4002-2. pp 246.

Other sources of information

  • Ward M L (2006) Physical Examination and Clinical techniques. In: Manual of Rabbit Medicine & Surgery. 2nd edn. Eds: Meredith A & Flecknell P. BSAVA. pp 18-36.
  • Harcourt-Brown F (2002) Textbook of Rabbit Medicine. Butterworth Heinemann.