I have been a vet tech for 10 years. I can Place Itravenous catheters
with my eyes closed. I have never seen one infection, septic, or
thrombosis from catheters that stay in for 3-4 days or 2 hours. I
recently started at a new clinic, they do cutdowns on all IV caths,
wether a cutdown is needed or not, usually its used on dehydrated
animals or one with very bad veins. I tried this method twice, the
skin bled and i could not see clear without dabbing with cotton to
stop the bleeding, the cutdown hurts too. It conists of cutting down
to the vein and making a flap of skin to go under and hit the vein
directly. I see this as barberic. My question is..i need an article or
something that talks about the 2 ways of placing the catheters and if
this cutdown method is OLD AGE medicine. I want something for agument
sake to change the thoughts on this and find a better way to prevent
infection, which i never saw in 10 years, and if regular placement is
fine. I have worked for very well known animal hopitals and they enver
did the cut down!