Techniques for blood collection from the rat include puncture of the heart, retro-orbital plexus, jugular vein, saphenous vein, tail blood vessels, carotid artery, abdominal aorta, and vena cava.

If the rat does not resist, the investigator can now insert the catheter. Otherwise, it is critically important to wait until the local anesthetic is fully effective, and the tail no longer moves.

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