Rabbit Medicine and Surgery: Self-Assessment Color Review, Second Edition, Q&A 11

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A rabbit requires a pre-anaesthetic blood test.

Question	Answer		Article
How would you restrain a rabbit in order to take a jugular blood sample?	The rabbit should be positioned on the edge of the table, with an assistant holding the head up, as seen in the image. The neck should be extended so that the nose points vertically upwards. The forelimbs should be gently extended and allowed to rest over the edge of the table. A towel can be used to ‘burrito’ the rabbit to keep the spine and hind limbs secured.		Link to Article
What are the risks of improper restraint?	Improper restraint can lead to injury to both the rabbit and the handler. When positioning the head, the neck should always be extended to prevent kinking the trachea, which would impede respiration. As rabbits are obligate nasal breathers, the nares must not be inadvertently occluded, as this will cause the rabbit to panic. Towel wrapping is useful to secure the hindlimbs and spine, reducing the risk of struggling and kicking, which could cause fractures or luxation of the spine.		Link to Article

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