Exotic Animal Hematology and Cytology by Campbell Terry W

Author:Campbell, Terry W.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781118611166
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2015-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

Figure 8.1 Placement of a needle into the central auricular artery in preparation for blood collection from a rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Another blood collection site from the ear of a rabbit is the marginal ear vein. Increased blood flow in the marginal ear vein to improve blood collection is made by the application of alcohol, oil of wintergreen, or petroleum jelly over the vein along with finger pressure as a tourniquet. A 23–25-gauge needle is introduced into the vein and blood is collected directly from the needle hub into collection tubes.

Because some rabbits make a sudden movement as the vein or artery of the ear is punctured, collecting blood into a syringe is facilitated by the use of butterfly catheter, general anesthesia, or anesthesia of the skin. The skin can be anesthetized using EMLA cream (Astra Zeneca), a mixture of lidnocaine and prilocaine that produces a full skin-thickness anesthesia (Flecknell, 2000). The fur overlying the ear vein is plucked or shaved, a 2–3-mm thick layer of EMLA cream is applied, and the ear is covered with a plastic film dressing and a bandage to hold the cream in place. After approximately 45 minutes, the bandage is removed and venipuncture is performed. Since the skin is anesthetized, the rabbit does not react to the needle puncture.

Cephalic venipuncture may be performed on the rabbit in much the same manner described for dogs and cats (Figure 8.2). One person will restrain the rabbit in sternal recumbency using a “bunny burrito” and present the foreleg while another person performs the venipuncture. The fur that overlies the vein is clipped or wetted down with alcohol and the vein is raised with a tourniquet or held off by the person providing restraint. A small-gauge needle (25 g) and small syringe (1 cc) are recommended for sample collection because this vein is very small and collapses easily.

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