Venipuncture

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Venipuncture is the puncturing of a vein to obtain intravenous access for blood sampling or intravenous therapy.

Blood samples in rabbits. How & Why.

Blood samples in rabbits, how & why, by The Rabbit & Rodent Vet.

"🐰 Please note there are a few ways to take bloods from rabbits - this is my preferred method as most rabbits tolerate it very well, and we can hold them in a position that most rabbits feel comfortable. The saphenous vein also allows us to take a good amount of blood compared to smaller veins."

"I avoid ear veins because they don't often bleed well, and over use of these veins can damage them, so I prefer to leave the ear veins for catheters only (as that is my preferred catheter site). I avoid the jugular vein where possible also as to hold a rabbit for a jugular vein draw is a very unnatural position, and can be stressful and potentially painful in older rabbits with spinal arthritis." - The Rabbit & Rodent Vet

Further reading

• Karen L. Rosenthal, DVM, MA, How to Perform Venipuncture in Rabbits
• MediRabbit, Esther van Praag, Ph.D., Phlebotomy (blood drawing) in a rabbit
• Angela M. Lennox, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian), Venipuncture in Small Exotic Companion Mammals
• Anthony Pilny, DVM, DAVBP. (2011). Drawing Blood from Rabbits

See also

• Handling
• Medicating your rabbit