mice tail vein injection - (Nov/27/2007 )

Hi everyone,

I would like to know if it is possible to inject mice in tail vein when they are anesthesied with isofluran?

Thanks in advance,

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Yes, this is done quite easily under isoflurane, somewhat less so is the mice are sedated with Ketamine and/or xylazine.

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Of course...

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Be careful not to overheat the animal if you do so for vein dilation.

Isoflurane is less likely to lower blood pressure compared to other anesthetic types, such as xylazine / ketamine cocktail. I should think you will find the injection relatively simple.

Always worth a try in a naive animal before you get into a protocol / study animal

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Do you guys use an accurate mixture with air or using soaked cotton ball? I know for rats, it is pretty easy to kill one if the concentration is not well controlled.

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pentobarbital sodium is better, you can use 40mg/kg bw.

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I have used a bell jar (or cotton in cone) to "snuff down" a mouse for a quick process.

Otherwise for longer anesthesias I use controlled anesthesia machine with chamber.

I do all my IV tail injections with mouse / rat awake. Cell lines and therapeutics only.

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