Implantation of Vascular Access Buttons™ for Prolonged Blood Collection in Venously-Catheterized Ferrets

In vivo research studies requiring repeated blood sampling ideally involve a simple collection technique while also minimizing stress and discomfort to the animal. Implantation of an indwelling vascular catheter provides a simple, pain-free route for repeated blood collection over an extended period of time. Ferrets were implanted with indwelling jugular vein catheters (JVCs) for daily collection of blood samples over the course of a three week study period. To prevent damage to the catheters by other ferrets, JVCs were attached to Vascular Access Buttons™ (VABs) due to their secure and self-contained design. Following surgery, no animals exhibited signs of disruption to their catheter as a result of group housing conditions. In combination with an indwelling catheter, the JVC/VAB system improved the ease of blood collection, requiring only a PinPort™ injector attached to a syringe. The VAB allowed blood collection from group-housed ferrets to be performed by a single technician, without the use of anesthesia, for up to 21 consecutive days.