14 Cat restraint for blood draws

There are many methods to restrain and draw blood, or place an IV catheter!  We are reviewing and practicing a few low FAS methods for your toolbox.  As a lifelong learner, you will observe and experience many techniques, and many outcomes.  Please evaluate each in terms of safety-both patient and staff, reduction of FAS of the patient, and quality of the sample.  Be mindful of what worked and didn’t work and how you may add techniques into your own tool box. Remember, communication between handler and drawer/IV catheter placer is vital to success-build a plan together.  As always, gather needed supplies, don’t forget treats if appropriate, know what tubes to grab and what order to draw them and be ready!  Also decide if you have enough room to draw back on a syringe plunger, or if using a butterfly catheter would be easier-the favorite of many blood drawers! Breathe and be happy! Commonalities in Blood draws

• Lidocaine cream can be placed several minutes prior to blood draw and wiped off before attempt for those patients who are sensitive to needle pricks-can also be used for vaccinations in this way as well!
• PRESERVE CEPHALIC VEINS FOR IV CATHETERS IF YOUR PATIENT NEEDS A CATHETER ESPECIALLY IF GOING TO SURGERY AS CEPHALIC VEINS EASIER TO REACH DURING SURGERY VS. LATERAL SAPHENOUS IN MOST CASES. ALSO DO NOT PUT AN IV CATHETER IN AN INJURED LEG!

• Less is more regarding restraint or securing cats. Below is video of gentle restraint without using scruff to hold. Another great method is to use a cat wrap as can make the cat feel secure, the increased contact area is less FAS inducing than a couple contact points, and the claws can be covered making handler feel more safe as well. Cat Wrap method to draw blood from saphenous vein
• Helpful tidbits for finding vein and drawing blood:
  • Drawer asks holder “ready?”
  • Drawer cradles antebrachium under the leg palm up with non-dominant hand and uses thumb along one side of the vein to steady and can gently pull skin distally to tighten the skin which prevents the vein from rolling.
  • Drawer strokes the vein toward the foot a couple times-this causes the vein to stand up a bit, (in human medicine it is common to tap the vein a few times-this is annoying for dogs and cats and we cant tell them why we are doing it stroking is less irritating). Apply a bit of alcohol-sticks to hair makes it easier to see the vein, can part hair to visualize skin.
  • Just as in Jugular blood draw, you can rest your syringe hand on your non-dominant hand holding the antebrachium.
  • Start distal in case the vein is blown-you can try again more proximally. Bevel up pointing proximally approx 15-20 degrees
  • “Poking” (avoid saying “OK” as release word for many dogs! As you enter the skin into the vein-flash (be sure bevel is fully in lumen) draw back gently, and fill syringe or collection tube.
  • HOLDER NUTSHELL
    • Be safe, comfortable and sustainable in your position
    • Holder- thumb under jaw fingers on top of head, forearm along the back OR better yet use a modified uncooperative cat wrap holding cat in crux of inner elbow-either side, feel for legs and have drawer approach and verify they are holding lower leg, while you hold upper leg and hold off vein (avoid paws)
    • Hold off vein using karate chop method proximally in groin area
    • Once blood collected, let off vein, BEFORE the needle removed, still hold onto leg, then cover puncture site when needle out ideally with pre-made folded gauze with vet wrap to apply pressure for several minutes
    • Let off vein once IV catheter is in and move to hold off vein at the proximal end of catheter to prevent blood from leaking out until cap or T-port is attached, continue holding the leg.