This document discusses routes and techniques for fluid therapy in animals. It describes the normal physiology of body fluid compartments and explains how fluid loss occurs through vomiting, diarrhea, renal disease, and other pathologies. The main routes of fluid administration covered are alimentary (oral/rectal), subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intraosseous, intravenous, and arterial access. Peripheral vein catheterization sites for dogs, cats and large animals are outlined. Factors to consider for vascular access and types of catheters are also summarized.

1. ROUTES AND TECHNIQUES IN
FLUID THERAPY
PRESENTED BY:
DR.BASWARAJ NITTURE
M.V.Sc. 1ST YEAR
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

2. FLUID THERAPY
• Normal physiology:
• ADULT ANIMAL- avg -60% of the Body weight
• With age – Young animals- 70-80% of BW.
Older animals – 50-55% of BW.
Body condition – Fatty – Fat tissues contain less
water than other soft tissues.

3. BODY FLUID COMPARTMENTS
INTRACELLALAR
2/3RD i.e. 40%
OF BW
With in the cells
of the body
EXTRACELLUALAR
INTERSTITIAL:
15% OF THE BW
INTRAVASCULAR
4% OF THE BW
TRANSCELLULAR
I.E. 1%

4. • Intravascular volume comprises such a small
proportion of total body fluid that any loss of
fluid from this compartment(hypovolaemia)
has much more severe physiological effects
than global fluid loss of fluid (dehydration).
• Normal water intake: Drinking , Eating diets-
70-80% of water , Metabolism , Therapeutic.
• Normal fluid loss: Urination , Defecation,
Respiration , Sweating .

5. Fluid loss
• In some situations or illness, the animal’s ability to
maintain the body fluid balance will be impaired .
• Abnormal water intake: Metabolic disorders, Systemic
illness , Dysphagia , Physical difficulty , Water
deprivation.
• Abnormal fluid loss: Vomiting(4ml/kg) ,
Diarrhoea(4ml/kg/episode, upto 200ml/kg/day),
Abnormal urine production: Renal disease, Diabetes.
Respiratory Evaporation, Pathological fluid losses i.e.
Pyometra ,Burns etc , Haemorrhage, Surgery.

6. ROUTES OF FLUID THERAPY
• Non-Sterile , large volumes, inexpensive,
• Capable of re-absorption, cannot be used
in Circulatory Shock and Extensive vomiting.
ALIMENTARY- ORAL
AND RECTAL
• Sterile , Isotonic, and non-irritant. Volume –
Small and limited.
• Absorption depends on adequate circulation,
only maintains therapy can be given.
• Cardiovascular collapse
SUBCUTANEOUS
• Sterile , non-irritant, Considerably large volumes
, very large area for absorption.
• Solution should be close to the body
temperature both for comfort and maximum
absorption.
INTRAPERITONEAL

7. ROUTES OF FLUID THERAPY
• Medullary cavity of soft bones, Life saving Procedure .
• Preferred when it is not possible to catheterise a vein.
• Hypo per fused puppies or kittens
Intra-
osseus
• Most preferred route of administration of fluid .
• May be peripheral or central venous catheterization.Intra venous
• More difficult than vein catheterization.
• Arterial blood pressure and collect blood sample for
Blood gas analysis.
Arterial
access

8. Alimentary route
Dog and Cat
• 1) Conscious dog :- Fluid taken voluntarily.
• 2) Hold the skin fold at the side of mouth is
tensed and fluid gently poured in from spoon
or syringe , the head is then tilted up and
massage the throat until it swallows. Give
small amount of fluid and give plenty of time
to swallow.

9. Alimentary route
• 3) Due to jaw or oesophageal lesions :
Pharyngostomy tube may used under anesthesia.
• These tubes are well tolerated by conscious dog
and may be left in place for several days . Helps to
administer fluid and liquid food.
• Silicone tubing used .
• Cats :- temperament, handled carefully.
Through syringe can be administered,
Pharyngostomy.

11. AR- in Large animals
• Horses : Naso -gastric tube : ventral nasal
meatus.
• Cattle : Stomach tube : through mouth over
the dorsum of the tongue.
• As the absorption takes place in large intestine
: fluid administration can be given throw per
rectally.

12. Naso gastric tube in horse

13. Naso gastric and stomach tubes

14. SUBCUTANEOUS ROUTE
• Easy to administer
• Small volume can be administered
• Not preferred in critically ill animals
• Administering dextrose with more than 5%
concentration will slough off the skin.
• Slow absorption in Obesse animals.
• Route is preferred for the administration of
ionic solutions for maintenance.

15. VASCULAR ACCESS
• In an emergency or critical case the rapid
placement and maintenance of intra venous
catheter is essential.
• Gaining vascular access may become more
challenging in severely hypovolaemic or very
small patients.
• Injuries or illness – not possible to use certain
sites.

16. Planning I/V access
Factors to consider the suitable intravenous
access for each patient are as follows:-
1. Choice of Catheter, type, material, guage,
length.
2. Which vein to use .
3. How easy/quick is it going to be to insert.
4. Will the patient sedation? If so, is it stable?
5. Is this long term or short term fix?
6. What will be administered through the
catheter?

17. Catheters
• Size: Flow rates related to both its radius and
length . Wide and short length catheters can
used for greatest flow rates.
• Material : Chemically inert and flexible .

18. Catheters type
Butterfly catheters:- needle with attached wing
and extension tubing .
• Suitable for blood collection or
thoracocentesis.
• But liable to damage any vein due to short tip
if left in place .

19. Butterfly catheter

20. Through the needle catheter
• Needle remains attached to the catheter but is
secured and protected in a plastic guard
outside the vein .
• These are usually bulky.

21. Through the cannula catheter
• Also called as peel away catheters.
• Where the catheter is placed through a peel
away sheath.

22. Over the wire catheters
• Seldinger’s technique
• A guide wire is placed through a needle and
the needle withdrawn, the catheter is then
advanced over the wire into the vein and the
wire is withdrawn.
• Single lumen catheters or multi lumen (2-5)
• Used in Central vein catheterization.

23. Over the needle catheters
• The most common type of catheter used day
to day in veterinary practice.
• Suitable for short to medium term use.
• They are easy to place and complications are
rare.
• They are available in wide variety of gauges
and length.

27. Vein selection
Peripheral vein
catheterization
Central vein
catheterization

28. Peripheral vein catheterization
• In an emergency or a short term solution –
most suitable.
• Allow rapid and effective catheterisation.
• Technician should be familiar with their
location and catheterisation can be done with
minimum restraint and achieved without
sedation.

29. Dog and cat
• Cephalic vein on the forelimb is most commonly used.
• If injury dictates the forelimb other sites are
• Medial and lateral saphenous vein ( hindlimb)
• In Dog Lateral saphenous vein is preferred and in case of
cat Medial saphenous vein(Straight and fairly immobile) is
preferred.
• Dorsal common digital vein over the metatarsal bones .
• When selecting site consider whether the fluid entering
central compartment or not . Example :- GDV (gastric
dilatation and volvulus ) , any fluid entering through hind
limb vein access will not be effective due to obstruction of
caudal venacava from the dilated stomach.

30. Large animals
• Jugular vein :- most convenient and accessible
vein for catheterization in LA.
• In cattle : milk vein some time preferred. But
risk of infection and thrombosis.
• In Horses : 3 inch catheter is sufficient because
there is limited skin mobility over the jugular
vein.
• External thoracic or limb veins may be
accessed in horses.

31. Placement of a peripheral IV catheter
• A large area of the skin should be clipped for adequate
aseptic preparation of the skin .
• Animal with long hair – 360 degree clip around
circumference of the leg.
• Place the as distally as possible . This allows further
puncture at more proximal site if necessary.
• Hands should be washed before placement.
• Catheters can be placed directly through the skin
• But in Thick skinned and dehydrated animals – it can be
useful to nick the skin with no.11 blade this stops the
catheter bunching up at the tip.