Abstract: Objective To investigate whether the WHBE rabbit was suitable for experimental electrocardiographic observation. Methods The adult 12 WHBE rabbits, 7 Japanese white rabbits and 6 Chinchilla rabbits were anesthetized by sodium amylobarbitone (30 mg/kg) and the electrocardiograms (ECG) of the rabbits were recorded by multi-channel physiological recorder. Results The basic wave pattern of the EGG of WHBE rabbit was similar to that of human being. Heart rhythm of WHBE rabbit was sinus original. Owing to the fast heart rate of WHBE rabbit (288.89士28.14 beats per minute, bpm), the P-wave of the WHBE rabbit ECG usually occurred on the descending branch of T-wave. The Q-T interval and K-value of the WHBE rabbits were both lower than those of Japanese white rabbits and Chinchilla rabbits. The range of the ECG axis in WHBE rabbits (40.00±36.93 degrees) were changed greatly. Conclusion The shapes of waves in chest leads of WHBE rabbit are obvious and regular. The recorded voltage was higher. So the ECG in chest leads is more available for the clinical analysis, and WHBE rabbits would be more suitable as a new kind of laboratory animals for electrocardiographic experimental studies.

Key words: WHBE rabbit, Electrocardiogram