Week 7 Venipuncture/Restraint: Dogs & Cats

Difficult Cats

• Sometimes less is more

• Stretch out

• Use scruff of neck

• Kitty burrito

• Cat bag

• Muzzle

• Ask for help

Difficult Dogs

• Go slow, but do not be hesitant

• Use your body, not just hands

• Muzzle

• Ask for help

Sites for Venipuncture: Dogs

• Jugular vein

• Cephalic veins (front of front legs)

  • Easiest with handler to hold front leg & restrain head

    • Hold behind elbow

    • Use thumb to roll vein to outside

    • While rolling, push down firmly with thumb

• Lateral saphenous veins (outside lower rear legs)

  • Useful for head shy or anxious dogs

Cephalic: Dog

Sites for Venipuncture: Cats

• Medial saphenous veins (inside upper rear legs)

  • Good site for collecting blood sample from cats

• Jugular veins (neck)

  • Holder is critical:

    • neck position makes this very easy or very hard to do

• Cephalic veins

Jugular: Cat