The University of Iowa

Substance Administration - Recommended Volumes (Informational Sheet)

Recommended Volumes for Administered Substances (Informational Sheet)

Informational Sheet: The Office of Animal Resources has provided a set of guidance documents (Policies, Guidelines, and Informational Sheets) for use when planning animal procedures at the University of Iowa. This Informational Sheet provides the current guidance on recommended testing of research biologics for pathogens.

Purpose:

This document provides information about administration volumes and needle sizes for commonly employed routes of fluid administration in various animal species. The volume limits are consensus figures based on published literature and are set up to maintain animal welfare and prevent potential complications, such as muscle damage with high volume intramuscular injection, or aspiration & pulmonary injury with high volume oral administration.

Procedures:

  • Give injections at a constant flow rate
    • No resistance should be encountered during injection
    • Do not apply overt pressure on the syringe’s plunger
  • See below for maximum recommended volume and needle size
    • Compare the weight in the table to the weight of the animal being used in the procedure and alter dose accordingly
    • Max limit with oil-based vehicles should be half the listed max limit and may require a larger gavage needle
    • Always use the smallest needle size (largest gauge) that is applicable to the procedure

 

Precautions:

  • Do not inject into inflamed or damaged tissue unless medically indicated
  • Injecting relatively large volumes of solutions that are below body temperature may lead to hypothermia
  • Inject separate drugs/compounds at different sites to avoid cross reaction of chemicals
  • Limit subcutaneous administration to 2-3 sites per day
  • Limit intramuscular administration to 2 sites at one time
  • Intravenous volumes listed are for slow injection over 3-10 minutes. Bolus volumes should be less, typically 10-50% of the slow injection volume.
  • Exceptions apply when medically indicated or scientifically justified, consult with Office of Animal Resources (OAR) veterinary staff for guidance

 

Recommended Maximum Volumes and Needle Sizes per Route, per Site, and per Species

 

Species & weight

Per os (oral)

Subcutaneous

Intramuscular

Intraperitoneal

Intravenous

Rat

200g

4 ml

20 ml/kg

 16 G

1 ml

5 ml/kg

20 G

0.2 ml total/site

       -

21 G

4 ml

20 ml/kg

21 G

4 ml

20 ml/kg

23 G

Mouse

25g

0.5 ml

20 ml/kg

 18 G

0.25 ml

10 ml/kg

 20 G

0.1 ml total/site

-

23 G

0.5 ml

20 ml/kg

21 G

0.625 ml

25 ml/kg

25 G

Hamster

100g

2 ml

20 ml/kg

 18 G

0.5 ml

5 ml/kg

 20 G

0.2 ml total/site

-

21 G

2 ml

20 ml/kg

21 G

2 ml

20 ml/kg

25 G

Guinea pig

800g

16 ml

20 ml/kg

4 ml

5 ml/kg

20 G

0.2 ml total/site

-

21 G

16 ml

20 ml/kg

21 G

4 ml

5 ml/kg

23 G

Rabbit

3kg

60 ml

20 ml/kg

 

15 ml

5 ml/kg

20 G

1 ml

0.5 ml/kg up to max 1 ml

20 G

30 ml

10 ml/kg

20 G

30 ml

10 ml/kg

21 G

Cat

5kg

75 ml

15 ml/kg

25 ml

5 ml/kg

20 G

1 ml

0.5 ml/kg up to max 1 ml

 20 G

100 ml

20 ml/kg

20 G

50 ml

10 ml/kg

21 G

Dog

10kg

150 ml

15 ml/kg

10 ml

1 ml/kg

20 G

3 ml

0.5 ml/kg up to max 3 ml

20 G

200 ml

20 ml/kg

20 G

100 ml

10 ml/kg

20 G

Pig

25kg

375 ml

15 ml/kg

37.5  ml

1.5 ml/kg

 20 G

5 ml

0.5 ml/kg up to max 5 ml

20 G

500 ml

20 ml/kg

20 G

250 ml

10 ml/kg

18 G

Ferret

1kg

15 ml

15 ml/kg

 

5 ml

5 ml/kg

21 G

1 ml

0.5 ml/kg up to max 1 ml

23 G

20 ml

20 ml/kg

21 G

10 ml

10 ml/kg

21 G

Goat/Sheep

45kg

900 ml

20 ml/kg

 

225 ml

5 ml/kg

19 G

5 ml total/site

-

18 G

450 ml

10 ml/kg

19 G

450 ml

10 ml/kg

18 G

 

 

Last Reviewed by the IACUC  6/14/2023