Planning to start my mare on a 10 day course of IV antibiotics for lyme… she will have to have an IV catheter in for the duration (at home on the farm). I am totally new to this so tell me what i should know!! Literally anything you can tell me will be appreciated! Thank you!!
Hang the bags on a swivel to allow hose/tubing, to remain unkinked as horse goes around and around the stall. Horse SHOULD be able to be tied, if they won’t quit pacing to tangle thing up.
We wrapped tape to tubing around the neck to hold needle in place. I did not care how her mane ended up looking after. HAD to get the quantity of fluids in over a long period of time, so needle needed to stay put for IV bag changes over a several days. She got tied in a corner, not getting any hay because of impaction, which helped keep her quiet, no head up and down.
Hope things go well during your treatment and recovery time!
Make sure they stitch it in well, and cover with a sleazy hood with zipper (so it doesn’t need to be pulled on and off).
Close the windows
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My old horse had a catheter for medications and fluids for over a week for endotoxemia. It was sewn in and taped well. He never messed with it, even after he started to feel better. I would tie him up to flush, add meds and/or hang fluids. Since he wasnt used to a slinky, and it was August, the vet advised trying to go without and it worked well.
Get rid of anything the horse can itch or catch it on - no stall guards, windows, etc. No turnout. When the vet sews it in, they should give you cleaning instructions, and explain your options for keeping it covered. Some horses do best with a few turns of vet wrap around the neck. Others need a sleezy, others are fine with nothing at all.
If they’re leaving slow drip bags, tie her in the corner with a hay net while she’s getting the drugs. If it’s just for regular IV shots each day, that’s unnecessary.
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A sleezy was not enough for my horse. It was sewn in well, but he busted the end off rubbing on something (a bucket? the wall? who knows). Ended up wrapping it with elasticon and putting a sleezy over that.
Make sure to always flush the line (heparin) before and after administering the med.
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My mare was in the horsepital for close to 4 weeks of which she had an IV for 3 of those weeks. After a few weeks, the jugular occluded and they had to switch from one side to the other. The occlusion never cleared but never caused her any issues. It would be weird to look at her and see her right side jugular with a bit of a pulse while the left side, nothing. She lived close to 15 years post occlusion.
If it happens, not a big deal!
Make sure to always flush the line (heparin) before and after administering the med.
this information should come directly from your vet and their technician. you need to open a good conversation relationship for them to be aware of your concerns and teach you proper technique. they need to be available to answer your questions or concerns as they arise
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Yup. You and your vet need to monitor it for any kind of minor infection. My mare got one of these from being catheterized and it created a blood clot, plus probably some scaring in her jugular vein. She’s got lots of congestion in her throat latch area (sometimes) on that side. Vet who discovered it said horses can live that way just fine (in fact, they can have both jugular veins blocked and still be OK, but weird-looking in the head). But she did tell me to not let anyone inject into that clotted vein again and to be a bit careful with the other one.
Just an FYI as I had never seen this in a horse before but it does happen.
As a technician who has placed and maintained several catheters, my opinion is that the most important and the hardest thing to do is make sure it’s flushed with heparinized saline frequently to keep it from clotting/occluding. If you can flush every four hours (around the clock) that’s the best. Make sure your hands are clean/wear gloves when you are handling it and administrating the meds. Some horses really hate the feeling of a catheter (and the itchy clipped spot) and will try to rub it out on anything, and some do not care in the least. It might take a little bit of trial and error for what works for your particular horse.
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As a technician who has placed and maintained several catheters, my opinion is that the most important and the hardest thing to do is make sure it’s flushed with heparinized saline frequently to keep it from clotting/occluding. If you can flush every four hours (around the clock) that’s the best. Make sure your hands are clean/wear gloves when you are handling it and administrating the meds. Some horses really hate the feeling of a catheter (and the itchy clipped spot) and will try to rub it out on anything, and some do not care in the least. It might take a little bit of trial and error for what works for your particular horse.
