Blood sample volumes
Practical blood sample volumes for laboratory animals, domestic species and non-human primates are given in the table below (adapted Wolfensohn & Lloyd, 2003, Handbook of Laboratory Animal Management and Welfare, 3rd Edition).
Species |
Reference weight (g) |
Blood volume (ml/kg)$ |
Total blood volume (TBV), normal adult (ml) |
Safe volume for single bleed (ml)* |
Bleed out volume (ml) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mouse |
18 - 40 |
58.5 |
Male 1.5 - 2.4 Female 1.0 - 2.4 |
0.1 - 0.2 |
Male 0.8 - 1.4 Female 0.6 - 1.4 |
Rat |
250 - 500 |
54 - 70 |
Male 29 - 33 Female 16 - 19 |
Male 2.9 - 3.3 Female 1.6 - 1.9 |
Male 13 - 15 Female 7.5 - 9 |
Hamster |
85-150 |
78 |
Male 6.3 - 9.7 Female 7.1 - 11.2 |
Male 0.6 - 0.9 Female 0.7 - 1.1 |
Male 2.9 - 4.5 Female 3.3 - 5.2 |
Gerbil |
55 - 100 |
66 - 78 |
Male 4.5 - 7 Female 3.8 - 6 |
Male 0.4 - 0.7 Female 0.4 - 0.6 |
Male 2.2 - 3.5 Female 1.9 - 2.9 |
Guinea pig |
700 - 1200 |
69 - 75 |
Male 59 - 84 Female 48 - 63 |
Male 6 - 8 Female 5 - 6 |
Male 29 - 42 Female 24 - 31 |
Rabbit |
1000 - 6000 |
57 - 65 |
58.5 - 585 |
5 - 50 |
31 - 310 |
Ferret |
600- 2000 |
70 |
42 - 140 |
4 - 14 |
21 - 70 |
Dog |
- |
70 - 110# |
900 - 1170a |
90 - 110 |
- |
Cat |
- |
47 - 65 |
140 - 200 |
14 - 20 |
- |
Pig - Large white |
- |
56 - 69 |
13,200 - 15,000 |
1320 - 1500 |
- |
Pig - Yucatan |
- |
56-69 |
4200 - 4800 |
420 - 480 |
- |
Sheep |
- |
58 - 64 |
4060 - 4480 |
400 - 450 |
- |
Goat |
- |
57 - 90 |
3990 - 6300 |
400 - 630 |
- |
Cattle |
- |
60 |
27,000 - 36,000b |
2700 - 3600 |
- |
Horse |
- |
75 |
33,750 - 45,000b |
3375 - 4500 |
- |
Marmoset |
- |
60 - 70 |
21 - 24.5 |
2.1 - 2.4 |
- |
Rhesus macaque |
- |
55 - 80 |
Male 420 - 770 Female 280 - 630 |
Male 42 - 77 Female 28 - 63 |
- |
Long-tailed macaque |
- |
50 - 96 |
Male 280 - 560 Female 140 - 420 |
Male 28 - 56 Female 14 - 42 |
- |
$ A blood volume estimate for a single species may not reflect differences among individual breeds or variations due to age, size, or illness
* Single bleed of 10% total blood volume
# Much breed variation
a Beagle
b assumes adult weight 450-600 kg