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210 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

Catheters are usually detached from the IV drip set your fingers then turn the clipper so the tip of the blade
for periods of time throughout the day. In order to is pointing at the strands. Bring the clipper down on top
accomplish this and keep the catheter patent, an IV cap of the hair to remove just the long hair strands. If you
is placed on the end of the catheter. The drip set is then line the blade up with the edge of the clipped area it will
attached to the catheter with a large gauge needle look very neat (Figure 11.14).
inserted through the cap. When removing the drip set After clipping, the wound is flushed clear of the visible
the catheter must be flushed with a heparinized saline debris. This can be accomplished with the spray hose on
solution to remove any backflow blood remaining in the the sink. However, care must be taken not to drive the
catheter. This reduces blood clot formation and main- debris into the wound if the water pressure is too high.
tains the catheter patency. This is done every time the IV Set the temperature to warm and the water pressure just
drip set is detached from the catheter and some clinics enough to make the sprayer work. If the water pressure is
may clear the catheter every 4 hours if IV fluid are not too high to use the spray hose, a 60 mL syringe with an 18
being given within that time interval. The amount of gauge needle is filled with sterile saline and used to lavage
flush required is just enough to clear the catheter, so pay- the wound. Use a gauze sponge and antiseptic soap to
ing attention to the length of the catheter before inser- scrub the edges as you go. A more complete flush with
tion is an important consideration. antiseptic solutions or saline will be performed by the vet-
When it is time for an IV catheter to be removed, a erinarian or technician. A surgical scrub begins after the
pressure bandage is usually applied for a few minutes. wound is flushed. This is described in Chapter 15.
This usually involves a gauze sponge folded in half twice After the wound has been prepared, the veterinarian
to make a small square and a roll of self‐adhesive ban- will determine if it needs to be debrided, lanced, probed,
dage material. The square of gauze is placed over the or lavaged some more. Debriding takes place when the
insertion point and held in place with a thumb, the cath- wound edges are old and devitalized. Lancing is done
eter is removed, and the self‐adhesive bandage is applied. when there is an abscess. A Penrose drain may be placed
Three to four wraps of the bandage material and a quick in a wound to allow it to drain (Figure 11.42). If a drain is
snip with the bandage scissors is all it takes. The bandage in place, careful observation of the skin around the drain
should not be very tight, but firm enough to apply a bit exits is important as this area may start to break down
of pressure to help the insertion point to clot. because of being wet from the drainage. Drains are

Wound Care
and Bandaging

Open wounds are often seen in veterinary practice. They
can be small puncture wounds from a bite or large areas
where the skin is completely gone or something in bet-
ween. Wound care starts with clipping the hair from
around the edges and cleaning the debris from the
wound. Remember that the tissue around and involved
in the wound is fragile and further damage can be done
while prepping the area. Be as gentle as possible.
Appropriate PPE for this procedure are gloves, goggles
and a mask would also be added if there is infection pre-
sent. Materials to gather include clipper with a #40 blade,
water‐soluble lubricant, gauze sponges, antiseptic scrub
or surgical scrub, sterile saline, and hydrogen peroxide.
If the wound is to be sutured, a sterilized suture pack and
gloves for the veterinarian should also be laid out.
Before clipping the hair the wound must be protected
from the falling hair. Place water‐soluble lube or saline‐
soaked gauze sponges inside the wound edges to catch
the hair as it is clipped. Clip around the wound edges
and clear 2–3 inches of hair around the wound to facili-
tate suturing and healing. If the patient has long hair
that will fall into the wound area it will need to be
trimmed. Pull the strands of hair over the wound with FIGURE 11.42 Penrose drain in place on a wounded horse.