blood sampling rabbits

Re: blood sampling rabbits

HMC — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 16:53:06 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Hannah Bose"]

But Michael's answer does get you published in the Vet Record (in the very near future)!

[/quote]

I was hoping you'd come along. Is this the first piece of collaborative research as a result of this forum?

[/quote]

I'll not hijack this thread but start a new one.

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 21:44:46 GMT

Re: blood sampling rabbits

a.bardell — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 20:09:31 GMT

Just to update you all- I can now get blood out of a rabbit! Maria's technique worked really well and got more than enough for the tests we needed. The only downside is that everyone now thinks I'm an expert so I forsee having all rabbits booked in to see me now!

Anyway thank you. Owner couldn't find anything to complain about for once

Re: blood sampling rabbits

a.bardell — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 11:10:49 GMT

Thanks for all your advice- decided to cancel yesterday and re booked for tomorrow. It will still be me seeing but at least I've got some ideas of how to approach it now.

Will keep you posted!

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Silvia Maldonado — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 02:45:32 GMT

And quite good technique, Sammy82, for very excited dogs, for if they move, the needle stays in place. I also used to get blood this way abroad as well.

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Michael Woodhouse — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 21:29:30 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Bose"]

But Michael's answer does get you published in the Vet Record (in the very near future)!

[/quote]

I was hoping you'd come along. Is this the first piece of collaborative research as a result of this forum?

Re: blood sampling rabbits

HMC — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 20:43:09 GMT

But Michael's answer does get you published in the Vet Record (in the very near future)!

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Vet2Vet — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 11:09:04 GMT

I don't know what I have done but I Do not suggest Michaels answer . I always use the jugular with minimal issues. Is this wrong ?

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Sammy82 — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 10:16:50 GMT

never sampled a bunny but in twitchy patients or in old/frail patients where any amount of sucction collapses the vein I find it helpful to use a needle without syringe. You hold the bloodtube so it just touches the hub of the needle. Let the drops run along the side into the tube, don't just let them fall in as that could cause haemolysis. Once the needle is in place you don't touch it, just control the leg and tube. This way you don't lose the vein if the animal suddenly jumps. Drawback are: potentially messy, and in very dehydrated patients or low bloodpressure the blood sometimes clots in the hub before you have enough. This is the way I was always taught to take blood before I came to the UK, it's easier to use when you don't have any qualified assistent as it often was the case in some of the places I worked in.

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Glenn Hodgson — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 09:55:03 GMT

I find a pre hep syringe helps

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 21:35:45 GMT

I have a good technique but you need to shoot them first (I did 30 one night for a project).

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Sarah Wheadon — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 21:22:40 GMT

+1 for what Marie said. Tried it after reading article in Vet Times and it works really well.

Re: blood sampling rabbits

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 20:30:46 GMT

Lateral saphenous vein is my preferred sample site - about 1 inch above the hock. I clip, apply a little spirit then lidocaine spray and sample just above where the two contributing veins join. I use a 1ml syringe to avoid applying excess pressure and collapsing the vein but a larger syringe and butterfly catheter can be used for larger volumes.

Apply a dressing afterwards as the lack of overlying soft tissues means a large haematoma forms

Marie