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LAT Laboratory Animal Technician –
Comprehensive Q&A For Certification
Success 2026
Intramuscular Injection (IM) - correct-answer -Generally given in hind legs (most
desirable site is large muscle mass); alternative site are the muscles posterior to
femur; do not inject too much material
Intraperitoneal Injection (IP) - correct-answer -Given in lower right quadrant of
abdomen (avoid bladder and cecum); Slight resistance may be encountered;
Aspirate prior to injection (Yellow= bladder; greenish = intestine or cecum; Blood =
blood vessel)
Intradermal Injection (ID) - correct-answer -Given into thick dermal skin layer; 25
guage needle typically used; Needle directed at 20 - 30 degree andle into skin;
only small quantity of fluid can be injected (0.1-0.2 ml)
Subcutaneous Injection - correct-answer -Placed in the more vascular space
between skin and underlying muscle; large area subcutaneous tissue exposed by
raising a tent of skin; entering the injection site then 0 resistance; precautions -
hand puncture, inject out other side
,2
Intravenous Injection (IV) - correct-answer -IV access sites in common lab animals;
site preparation (disinfect); Use pressure to disten the vessel; Insert needle at 30
degree angle to skin; removing the needle - apply pressure
Blood collection techniques are used as... - correct-answer -aid to diagnose
disease: Collection site and amount determined by species and test type
Blood Collection Techniques - Dog - correct-answer -Cephalic, saphenous, femoral
or jugular vein
Blood Collection Techniques - G.Pig - correct-answer -Heart, saphenous or ear
vein
Blood Collection Techniques - Monkey - correct-answer -Cephalic, saphenous,
femoral or jugular vein
Blood Collection Techniques - Mouse/Rat - correct-answer -Heart, saphenous or
tail vein, orbital sinus
,3
Blood Collection Techniques - Rabbit - correct-answer -Heart, Ear vein, orbital
sinus
Blood Collection Techniques - Hamster - correct-answer -heart, orbital sinus
Intraarterial - Blood collection - correct-answer -Auricular artery frequently used
for blood collection in rabbit (artery easily visible; large quantities of blood can be
obtained); Same technique as intravenous; Apply pressure to artery after needle
withdrawal
Retro-Orbital - Blood Collection - correct-answer -Used for animals that do not
have large veins; limited to rodents with large venous sinus or plexus posterior to
the erye; animals typically under anesthesia; allow puncture vessel to clot and
then pplace opthalmic ointment into the eye
Saphenous - Blood Collection - correct-answer -To collect small samples from
rodents, blood collected into a capillary tube; anesthesia not required; multiple
samples collected in same day
, 4
Cardiac Puncture - Blood collection - correct-answer -Needle placed through chest
wall and into heart; withdraw blood slowly, dangerous procedure (must use
general anesthesia, fatal in some animals, animal euthanized after procedure
Tail Transection - Blood Collection - correct-answer -Method used to collect
several drops of blood from mice or rats; controversial; justification for use may be
required; Anesthesia recommended for animals older than weaning age
Blood Volume - correct-answer -Total Blood Volume = 6% of body weight (varies
depening on species, age, sex, etc.); Guideline used when sampling frequently
(volume equal to no more than 1% of an animal's body weight can be taken every
two weeks; ie: 3kg rabbit = 30ml blood
Gastric Intubation (Gavage) - correct-answer -Most often used for rodents but can
be used in larger animals; Gavage tupe attached to hypodermic syringe; hold
animal in proper position Insert tube at approximately 45 degree angle (do not
force tube); withdraw and start again if resistance is met while inserting the tube;
use gag to prevent chewing of tube; avoid trachea; Ginea pig and Chinchilla -
palatal ostium
Genetics - correct-answer -the science of heredity; to breed lab animals
successfully, basic knowledge of genetics and reproduction is required; breeding
system selected must met the requirements of the research program for which
LAT Laboratory Animal Technician –
Comprehensive Q&A For Certification
Success 2026
Intramuscular Injection (IM) - correct-answer -Generally given in hind legs (most
desirable site is large muscle mass); alternative site are the muscles posterior to
femur; do not inject too much material
Intraperitoneal Injection (IP) - correct-answer -Given in lower right quadrant of
abdomen (avoid bladder and cecum); Slight resistance may be encountered;
Aspirate prior to injection (Yellow= bladder; greenish = intestine or cecum; Blood =
blood vessel)
Intradermal Injection (ID) - correct-answer -Given into thick dermal skin layer; 25
guage needle typically used; Needle directed at 20 - 30 degree andle into skin;
only small quantity of fluid can be injected (0.1-0.2 ml)
Subcutaneous Injection - correct-answer -Placed in the more vascular space
between skin and underlying muscle; large area subcutaneous tissue exposed by
raising a tent of skin; entering the injection site then 0 resistance; precautions -
hand puncture, inject out other side
,2
Intravenous Injection (IV) - correct-answer -IV access sites in common lab animals;
site preparation (disinfect); Use pressure to disten the vessel; Insert needle at 30
degree angle to skin; removing the needle - apply pressure
Blood collection techniques are used as... - correct-answer -aid to diagnose
disease: Collection site and amount determined by species and test type
Blood Collection Techniques - Dog - correct-answer -Cephalic, saphenous, femoral
or jugular vein
Blood Collection Techniques - G.Pig - correct-answer -Heart, saphenous or ear
vein
Blood Collection Techniques - Monkey - correct-answer -Cephalic, saphenous,
femoral or jugular vein
Blood Collection Techniques - Mouse/Rat - correct-answer -Heart, saphenous or
tail vein, orbital sinus
,3
Blood Collection Techniques - Rabbit - correct-answer -Heart, Ear vein, orbital
sinus
Blood Collection Techniques - Hamster - correct-answer -heart, orbital sinus
Intraarterial - Blood collection - correct-answer -Auricular artery frequently used
for blood collection in rabbit (artery easily visible; large quantities of blood can be
obtained); Same technique as intravenous; Apply pressure to artery after needle
withdrawal
Retro-Orbital - Blood Collection - correct-answer -Used for animals that do not
have large veins; limited to rodents with large venous sinus or plexus posterior to
the erye; animals typically under anesthesia; allow puncture vessel to clot and
then pplace opthalmic ointment into the eye
Saphenous - Blood Collection - correct-answer -To collect small samples from
rodents, blood collected into a capillary tube; anesthesia not required; multiple
samples collected in same day
, 4
Cardiac Puncture - Blood collection - correct-answer -Needle placed through chest
wall and into heart; withdraw blood slowly, dangerous procedure (must use
general anesthesia, fatal in some animals, animal euthanized after procedure
Tail Transection - Blood Collection - correct-answer -Method used to collect
several drops of blood from mice or rats; controversial; justification for use may be
required; Anesthesia recommended for animals older than weaning age
Blood Volume - correct-answer -Total Blood Volume = 6% of body weight (varies
depening on species, age, sex, etc.); Guideline used when sampling frequently
(volume equal to no more than 1% of an animal's body weight can be taken every
two weeks; ie: 3kg rabbit = 30ml blood
Gastric Intubation (Gavage) - correct-answer -Most often used for rodents but can
be used in larger animals; Gavage tupe attached to hypodermic syringe; hold
animal in proper position Insert tube at approximately 45 degree angle (do not
force tube); withdraw and start again if resistance is met while inserting the tube;
use gag to prevent chewing of tube; avoid trachea; Ginea pig and Chinchilla -
palatal ostium
Genetics - correct-answer -the science of heredity; to breed lab animals
successfully, basic knowledge of genetics and reproduction is required; breeding
system selected must met the requirements of the research program for which
