Technique for venipuncture of the transverse facial vein in the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)

Abstract

Through the use of operant conditioning, the authors developed a technique to facilitate obtaining blood samples from a black rhinoceros diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy. The technique involved operant conditioning to facilitate venipuncture of the transverse facial vein, at an anatomic landmark on the lateral side of the face ventral to the medial canthus of the eye, and dorsal to the lateral commissure of the mouth. The investigators used standard operant conditioning protocols to train the animal for desensitization to a needle puncture in the facial vein. Blood samples obtained from the facial location were free of excessive hemolysis and allowed for large volumes to be collected. The procedure was well-tolerated by the rhinoceros and could be performed regularly without complication. Zoo Biol. 35:570-573, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.