• Technique
• Summary
• Resources and references
• Abdominal/thoracic blood vessel technique in other animals
• All blood sampling techniques in the mouse

Please read the general principles of blood sampling page before attempting any blood sampling procedure.

Technique

Appropriate for all strains, this is a suitable technique to obtain a single, large, good quality blood sample from a euthanised mouse or a mouse under terminal anaesthesia. A sample size of 0.4 -1.0 ml can be collected depending on the size of the mouse. As the heart is not punctured, this technique can be used when it is necessary to avoid cardiac damage.

Blood is collected either from the abdominal vena cava, abdominal aorta or aortic arch which can be accessed via a laparotomy or thoracotomy in larger mice. Removal of connective tissue and application of finger pressure is necessary to dilate the vessel. Blood should be withdrawn slowly to prevent the vessel collapsing. Correct aseptic technique should be used.

Summary

Resources and references

• Hedrich H (Ed3) (2012). The laboratory mouse. Academic Press: 544-5 
• Parasuraman S, Raveendran R, & Kesavan R (2010). Blood sample collection in small laboratory animals. Journal of pharmacology & pharmacotherapeutics 1(2): 87
• Morton DB, Jennings M, Buckwell A, Ewbank R, Godfrey C, Holgate B, Verschoyle R (2001). Refining procedures for the administration of substances. Laboratory animals 35(1): 1-41

Abdominal/thoracic blood vessel technique in other animals

All blood sampling techniques in the mouse