THE INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE (IACUC)

IACUC STANDARD PROCEDURES

Title of Standard Procedure:

Glucose Monitoring of Blood in Rats and Mice

Description of procedure:

1. It is recommended to anesthetize animals with isoflurane. For new users of this

technique, anesthesia is highly recommended until proficiency is obtained.
2. For better visualization of the veins, the animal may be warmed for 5-10 minutes
and the collection site wiped with 70% ethanol prior to blood collection.
3. Conscious animals need to be restrained using a commercially available restraint
of appropriate size. The duration of the restraint should be kept to a minimum,
and the equipment washed frequently to prevent pheromonally-induced stress or
cross contamination.
4. A blood sample is obtained by nicking the lateral tail vein using a sterile scalpel
blade or by pricking the vein using a sterile needle. Alternatively, the tail may be
snipped using sterile, sharp surgical scissors (no more than 1 mm of tail in mice
or 2 mm in rats) for blood collection.
If tail snipping is used for blood collection, additional consideration for
anesthetic/analgesic is needed if the tail has been previously snipped for
genotyping.
5. Gently milk blood from the tail. Place one droplet of blood on a glucose test strip
and read using a glucometer.
6. For repeated small samples, gently remove the scab, milk the tail and collect
blood as before. Anesthetics are not required if the scab site provides an
adequate sample. If it is necessary to use a new collection site, anesthesia is
recommended.
7. Apply direct pressure to achieve hemostasis. Use silver nitrate as needed.
8. If the animal was anesthetized, monitor the animals continuously after anesthesia
until the animal is fully recovered.
9. Evaluate mice for general appearance and hemostasis before returning to the
home cage.

Note: If it is necessary to take multiple samples, smaller blood volumes should be drawn.
Refer to IACUC Blood Collection Guidelines for maximum blood sample volumes for
single and serial blood draws.

Literature search words required:

Literature search was performed for refinement of this Standard Procedure in January
2015:

Key Words Search Site Years

Covered
Glucose monitoring blood PubMed, All in
AGRICOLA database
Mice blood glucose technique PubMed, All in
AGRICOLA database
Agents: This procedure recommends isoflurane. All agents administered to animals
should be listed in the Agents section of the RIO IACUC protocol.

Adverse Effects:
Adverse effects should be listed in the Adverse Effects section of the RIO IACUC
protocol.

Examples of potential adverse effects include: hemorrhage, infection

Approval: 2/2015