Background: Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) administration has resulted in decreased hemostasis and fibrinogen (FI)‐thrombin‐(FIIa)‐Factor XIII (FXIII) interactions. I proposed to determine the hemostatic effect of hemodilution with PentaLyte® (6% HES, mean molecular weight 220 kDa) and Voluven® (6% HES, 130 kDa).Methods: Rabbits were intravenously administered 20 ml/kg PentaLyte® or Voluven® (n = 8 per fluid) over 10 min. Plasma was obtained prior to, 1 min and 1 h after hemodilution. Thrombelastography was performed, with clot initiation (R, sec), clot propagation (α, degrees), and clot strength (shear elastic modulus, G, dynes/cm2) determined over 20 min. Celite‐activated samples had either no additions or addition of FI, FIIa or activated FXIII (FXIIIa) to restore protein content to pre‐diluted values.Results and conclusions: While there were no significant differences between the groups, R significantly decreased 1 h after hemodilution compared with values observed before and 1 min after hemodilution, whereas α and G significantly decreased 1 min after hemodilution and then significantly, but only partially, increased 1 h after hemodilution compared with pre‐dilution values. Addition of FI, FIIa and FXIIIa significantly decreased R in both groups. α and G 1 min after hemodilution were significantly enhanced by FI, FIIa, FXIIIa in both groups; however, 1 h after hemodilution, rabbits administered PentaLyte® had α and G enhanced only by FI and FXIIIa addition, whereas animals administered Voluven® had α and G significantly enhanced by FI addition. PentaLyte® and Voluven® hemodilution initially diminishes FIIa‐FI and FXIIIa‐fibrin, but within an hour primarily inhibit FXIIIa‐fibrin interactions in the rabbit.