Patent ID: 8052617

Claim:
A device for collecting blood samples from an animal, including: a syringe pump; a reservoir in fluid communication with the pump; a first valve that controls flow through a first conduit extending between the reservoir and an opening coupled to a catheter; a second valve that controls flow through a second conduit extending between the reservoir and a sample collection component; and a controller coupled to the pump and the valves and configured to cause collection of a blood sample by performing the steps of (i) actuating the pump to fill the reservoir and the conduits with a sterile fluid, (ii) opening the first valve and actuating the pump to draw blood from the catheter, through the first conduit and into the reservoir, thereby forming a blood/sterile fluid interface, (iii) opening the second valve and actuating the pump to force blood from the reservoir, through the second conduit and to the sample collection component, (iv) opening the first valve and actuating the pump to flush the first conduit with the sterile fluid, and (v) opening the second valve and actuating the pump to flush the second conduit with the sterile fluid; wherein the device is configured to be movable by the animal while the animal is physically connected to the device.