Intermittent heparinised saline flushes for maintaining indwelling peripheral and central intravenous catheters in diabetic dogs

Intermittent low-dose heparinised saline flushes were found to be efficacio us for maintaining patency of indwelling peripheral and central intravenous catheters in diabetic dogs. The catheters were flushed with 1 mL of 1 U/mL heparinised saline every two hours immediately following blood sample coll ection, or every 12 hours when not being used for sampling. Central cathete rs were flushed with saline solution first to clear the line before instill ation of the heparinised saline. Patency of 54/57 (95%) of the peripheral c atheters and 30/32 (94%) of the central catheters was achieved for up to 36 hours and five days, respectively. No phlebitis, or local or systemic infe ctions were observed and, in each case, catheter failure was attributable t o obstruction or extravasation. It is unlikely that there will be any contr aindications to this flushing technique and its introduction may improve in travenous catheter survival and reduce catheter-associated complications in hospitalised dogs.