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