Guidelines for Rodent Survival Blood Collection

Reviewed and Approved by FAU IACUC

Effective Date: 04 December 2015 Last Reviewed/Revised: 29 January 2021

Mouse blood volume is normally 72 ml/kg body weight (0.072ml/g body weight) - assuming the animal is mature,
healthy, and on an adequate plane of nutrition. A drop of blood can be 15-20µl (small) or 25-30µl (large) but it is not
possible to accurately quantify the amount.

Rat blood volume is normally 64 ml/kg body weight (0.064ml/g body weight) - assuming the animal is mature, healthy,
and on an adequate plane of nutrition.

The NIH's “Guidelines for Survival Bleeding of Mice and Rats” contain the following:
“Both the quantity and frequency of blood sampling are dependent on the circulating blood volume of the animal. The
approximate blood volume of a mouse is 72 ml/kg, ± 8 ml ... (e.g., 1.5 ml for a 20 gram mouse...) In general, no more
than 10% of the animal’s blood volume should be removed at one sampling....”

Approximate Blood Sampling Volumes and Recovery Periods

Single Sampling Multiple Sampling

% Circulatory Blood
% Circulatory Blood Approximate Recovery Approximate Recovery
Volume Removed in 24
Volume Removed Period Period
hours
7.5% 1 Week 7.5% 1 Week
10% 2 Weeks 10-15% 2 Weeks
15% 4 Weeks 20% 4 Weeks

Per information extracted from McGuill, M.W. and Rowan, A.N., "Biological Effects of Blood Loss: Implications for
Sampling Volumes and Techniques," ILAR News, Vol. 31(4), Fall 1989, pp 5-20:

Recommendations for a Single Blood Sample:

• Limit a single sampling to 15% of the total blood volume and allow a 30-day recovery period. Up to 20% of the
blood volume may be feasible in an animal in prime health that is given replacement fluids (4 ml/kg IV isotonic
saline). In general, larger animals have a lower blood volume than smaller animals. If the total blood volume of
an animal is unknown, a rough "rule of thumb" is that 6% of the body weight is blood volume.

• Mouse blood volume is normally 72 ml/kg body weight - assuming the animal is mature, healthy, and on an
adequate plane of nutrition. Thus, a safe maximum blood sample for a 20 gram mouse would be 0.15 ml.

• Rat blood volume is normally 64 ml/kg body weight, assuming the animal is mature, healthy, and on an
adequate plane of nutrition. Thus, a safe maximum blood sample for a 300 gram rat would be 1.15 ml.

• Blood loss of 30% of blood volume, or greater, is life threatening.

• The common 10 percent-10 percent rule (this estimates a safe volume as 10% of the total blood volume, and
that the total blood volume is approximately 10% of the body weight) will result in an excessive blood loss.
 MOUSE Blood Sampling Volumes
Maximum Allowable Blood Sample Size (ml)

Body Weight Total Blood Volume (ml) Weekly Every Two Weeks Every Four Weeks
In Grams (TBV = 7% BW) (7.5% TBV) (10% TBV) (15% TBV)
15 1.05 0.08 0.11 0.16
16 1.12 0.08 0.11 0.17
17 1.19 0.09 0.12 0.18
18 1.26 0.09 0.13 0.19
19 1.33 0.10 0.13 0.20
20 1.40 0.11 0.14 0.21
21 1.47 0.11 0.15 0.22
22 1.54 0.12 0.15 0.23
23 1.61 0.12 0.16 0.24
24 1.68 0.13 0.17 0.25
25 1.75 0.13 0.18 0.26
26 1.82 0.14 0.18 0.27
27 1.89 0.14 0.19 0.28
28 1.96 0.15 0.20 0.29
29 2.03 0.15 0.20 0.30
30 2.10 0.16 0.21 0.32

RAT Blood Sampling Volumes

Maximum Allowable Blood Sample Size (ml)

Body Weight Total Blood Volume (ml) Weekly Every Two Weeks Every Four Weeks
In Grams (TBV = 7% BW) (7.5% TBV) (10% TBV) (15% TBV)
25 1.63 0.12 0.16 0.24
35 2.28 0.17 0.23 0.34
45 2.93 0.22 0.29 0.44
55 3.58 0.27 0.36 0.54
65 4.23 0.32 0.42 0.63
75 4.88 0.37 0.49 0.73
85 5.53 0.41 0.55 0.83
100 6.50 0.49 0.65 0.98
125 8.13 0.61 0.81 1.22
150 9.75 0.73 0.98 1.46
175 11.38 0.85 1.14 1.71
200 13.00 0.98 1.30 1.95
250 16.25 1.22 1.63 2.44
300 19.50 1.46 1.95 2.93
350 22.75 1.71 2.28 3.41
400 26.00 1.95 2.60 3.90
450 29.25 2.19 2.93 4.39
500 32.50 2.44 3.25 4.88

Page 2 of 2