Cell biology in exotics

Question 1

What vascular sites are available in rabbits? What is their circulatory volume? How much is safe to collect?

Answer 1

◦ Jugular
◦ Cephalic
◦ Saphenous
◦ Marginal ear vein (not middle artery)

55-70ml/kg - can collect up to 10%

Question 2

What vascular sites are available in guinea pigs? What is their circulatory volume? How much is safe to collect?

Answer 2

• Cephalic vein (situated more lateral)
• Cranial vena cava most useful for large blood draws
• Blood volume = 70-75ml/kg (on average)
• Safe volumes of blood sample = 1% BW rule (or 10% blood volume)

Question 3

What vascular sites are available in rats, mice, gerbils and hamsters? What is their circulatory volume? How much is safe to collect?

Answer 3

• Lateral tail vein - warm tail first. Not suitable in gerbils
• Lateral saphenous vein
• Cranial vena cava
• Blood volume of 60-70ml/kg (on average).
• Safe volumes of blood sample = 10% blood volume

Question 4

What vascular sites are available in ferrets? What is their blood volume?

Answer 4

◦ Jugular vein (more lateral compared to cat)
◦ Cranial vena cava

Blood volume: 50-70ml/kg

Question 5

What are vascular sites in a hedgehog?

Answer 5

• Cranial vena cava
• Jugular vein (hard to visualise due to thick skin)
• Femoral vein (inside hind leg)

Question 6

What is the circulating blood volume in reptiles?

Answer 6

5-8% of body weight
May collect up to 10%

Question 7

What are sampling sites in lizards?

Answer 7

• ventral coccygeal vein
• ventral abdominal vein
• jugular vein

Question 8

What are sampling sites in snakes?

Answer 8

• ventral coccygeal vein
• heart
• palatine veins

Question 9

What are sampling sites in chelonia?

Answer 9

• jugular vein
• sub-carapacial vein
• dorsal coccygeal vein

Question 10

What is this cell in a rabbit? What is it often mistaken for?

Answer 10

Heterophil - mistaken for an eosinophil

Question 11

What is particular about reptile blood cells?

Answer 11

Erythrocytes and thrombocytes are nucleated

Question 12

What WBC is unique to reptiles?

Answer 12

Azurophils

Question 13

What is the most common inflammatory WBC in birds?

Answer 13

heterophils

Question 14

Where are avian thrombocytes produced?

Answer 14

diploid bone precursor cells

Question 15

What is the circulatory volume in birds? What is a safe volume to collect? What vascular sites are available?

Answer 15

◦ Circulating blood volume is approximately 6-12% of body weight
◦ May collect up to 10% of this (i.e. 6-12ml/kg)

- jugular
- ulnar/basilic
- medial metatarsal vein

Question 16

What cell types are these in birds?

Answer 16

erythrocytes
thrombocytes