How to Place a Lateral Saphenous IV Catheter in a Dog with Amanda M. Shelby

April 2025
by Amanda M. Shelby, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), VETgirl Senior CE Specialist

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education blog, Amanda M. Shelby, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) describes how to place a lateral saphenous intravenous catheter in a dog. This valuable veterinary technician skill is a must have!

How to Place a Lateral Saphenous IV Catheter in a Dog

A hindlimb, lateral saphenous IV catheter is a reasonable alternative catheter site in dogs where the front limbs are unavailable or undesirable! In dogs this vessel is reasonable in size for cannulation and generally easy to place and secure for use during hospitalization or procedures. Following these simple steps after placing the patient in lateral recumbency:

Clip to remove hair and aseptically prepare over catheter insertion site. Examination gloves are recommended for peripheral short-term catheters and sterile gloves for peripheral intravenous central catheters (PICC) or central venous catheters.¹ It is the author’s preference first remove all organic debris with 70% isopropyl alcohol gauze swipe then scrub the catheter site with 2% chlorhexidine scrub gauze for the appropriate contact time of 2 minutes, finishing the aseptic preparation with another alcohol gauze swipe to remove the chlorhexidine scrub.
The veterinary assistant will occlude the vessel as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Assistant is occluding vessel while technician ascetically prepares the area.
Using the non-dominant hand, the veterinary technician taunts the skin. With the dominant hand, the over the needle catheter is inserted directly over the vessel. Saphenous veins can ‘roll’ under the skin making them challenging to cannulate. For this reason, the author often elects to place 2-inch catheters in medial or lateral saphenous veins as seen in Figure 2. These catheters are intended to be single use. If the first attempt with a catheter is not successful, a new catheter should be used.
Figure 2. Initial approach to vessel cannulation with 2-inch 20 g catheter.
Once the stylet of the catheter enters the vein, blood will be seen in the chamber. See Figure 3. The stylet and catheter are advanced slightly to ensure the catheter is well seated in the vein.
Figure 3. Observe blood in stylet chamber.
The catheter is then advanced off the style. See Figure 4.
Figure 4. Catheter is advanced off the stylet.
A T-port is used in this video to cap the catheter and allow the administration of fluids and medications.
The catheter is secured in place with porous tape. There are many ways to tape an IV catheter. The author elects to place a narrow piece of tape—sticky side up, around the hub of the catheter then secure around the patient limb. See Figure 5.
Figure 5. T-port used to cap the catheter. First thin tape used to secure catheter in place.

Followed by a full thickness 1-inch piece of porous tape starting under the catheter then around the limb, to finished on top of the catheter’s port of insertion. See. Figure 6. Finally, the remaining narrow strip of tape is used to ‘butterfly’ the T-port to the patient limb.

Figure 6. Securing catheter in place with porous tape.
A final important step is to ensure patency of the IV catheter. See Figure 7. Here 0.9% NaCl is used to withdraw blood and flush the catheter. The assistant is feeling the vessel for the flush.
Figure 7. Catheter secured in place. Confirming patency with saline flush.

Additional dressing can be used to cover the tape and IV catheter. All catheters should be checked at least twice daily, flushed if not on intravenous fluids, and tape/bandaging should be clean and dry. While there are not specific lifespans for a peripheral IV catheter, if pain associated with flushing or fluid administration or evidence of swelling or phlebitis is present, catheter replacement should be considered. 70% isopropyl alcohol should be used to wipe the connection of the catheter when connecting and disconnecting IV fluid lines. It has been recommended that IV tubing used for fluid administration be replaced every three days and when fluid bags are replaced.

Want to see placement in a video? Check out How to Place a Lateral Saphenous IV Catheter HERE.

Want to learn more about proper catheter maintenance check out this podcast on jugular catheter maintenance—similar principles for maintaining catheters apply.

References:
Stull JW, Bjorvik E, Bub J, Dvorak G, Petersen C, Troyer HL. 2018 AAHA infection control, prevention, and biosecurity guidelines. JAAHA 2018;54(6):297-326.

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