Comparison Between Tail Vein and Jugular Vein Cannulation in Cattle 1 P. M. S E A R S 2 , M. J. P A A P E 3 , R. E. P E A R S O N 3 and F. C. G W A Z D A U S K A S " U. S. Department of Agriculture Beltsville, MD 20705 and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg 24061
ABSTRACT
vein cannula would be located on the animal in an area which would be easily accessible in most types of housing. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of cannulation of the tail vein and to compare several components of blood collected from the jugular and tail veins.
Blood samples obtained simultaneously from the jugular and tail (coccygeal) veins during induction of bovine mastitis infection and after administration of 250 IU of adrenocorticotropin did not differ in percentage of hematocrit, concentration of total corticosteroid in plasma, or concentrations of total circulating erythrocytes and leukocytes. Patency of the tail vein cannula was maintained for 1 mo. Tail vein cannulation is a practical alternative to jugular cannulation in cattle.
MATERIALS
INTRODUCTION
Physiological research on the bovine animal often requires many samples o f venous blood with minimal disturbance to the animal. To alliviate the need of additional venous puncture for each sample, a jugular cannula often is used; however, attachment of the cannula and sampiing apparatus is awkward. Bulky bandages or loose tubing are vulnerable to snagging and accidental removal unless the animal is restrained. Such restraint may effect physiological parameters which are important to the study. Cannulation of the tail vein would provide an alternative method of cannulation which would eliminate the need for excessive restraint. The tail
Received November 14, 1977. a Mention of products or companies of this report does n o t constitute endorsement by the U. S. Department of Agriculture to the exclusion of others not mentioned.
2Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State Uni-
versity, Columbus 43210. 3Genetics and Management Laboratory, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705. 4Department of Dairy Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061. 1978 J Dairy Sci 61:974--979
AND METHODS
The middle tail artery and vein lie along the ventral vertebral groove (sulcus vasculous) that restricts and holds the artery and vein in a ventro-dorsal position (1, 8) (Fig. 1). The artery lies ventral to the vein as they pass the longitudinal axis of the vertebra and are parallel at the intervertebral spaces. A large lateral tail vein lies along the lateral surface of the vertebrae and anastomoses segmentally with the middle tail vein (2). When pressure is applied by extending the tail dorsally over the animal's back, exposing the ventral surface of the tail, the middle tail artery and vein become occluded partly by the pressure at the base of the tail. Pressure at the base of the tail causes the artery to become smaller and increases the diameter of the vein at the intervertebral spaces (4) (Fig. 2). At this space the vein can be punctured easily with a sharp thin-wall needle (13 to 14 gauge thin-wall needle - Popper and Son, NY), inserted just proximally to the paired hemal arches (Fig. 3) of coccygeal vertebra. No order exists as to which side of the body the vein will be found. If bright red arterial blood returns through the needle, the vein can be located by withdrawing the needle and reinserting at an angle toward the opposite side. Venous flow may return slowly through the needle. Once in the vein, the needle seldom needs further adjustment. Polyethylene (Polyethylene tubing, PXO32 Becton, Dickinson and Co., Rutherford, NJ or PE190 Clay Adams Inc., Parsipany, NJ) or Tygon tubing (Chemofluor TFE, spaghetti tub-
974
TECHNICAL NOTE
FIG. 1. Ventral view of tail circulation of cattle.
ing AWG20 and AWG18, TW., Chemplast Inc., Wayne, NJ) was inserted through the needle (Fig. 4), extending anterior into the larger iliac vein. The tubing was inserted into the larger iliac vein to reduce the likelihood o f blood clots forming around the tubing. Approximately 60 cm of tubing was inserted into the vein. The needle was withdrawn, a cannula-to-lure adapter (Becton Dickinson, NJ) was attached, and the tubing was flushed generously with 30 ml of anticoagulant (2.5% sodium citrate).
FIG. 2. Ventral view of tail circulation of cattle when the circulation is occluded partly by pressure at the base of the tail.
975
FIG. 3. Thin-wall needle is inserted along ventral midline just proximal to the paired hemal archs of coccygeal vertebra.
The cannula was padded with gauze (10 × 10 cm) and fastened to the tail with adhesive tape (Fig. 5). The cannula was flushed before and after all samplings to prevent blood clots from entering and obstructing the cannula. If the cannula became occluded partly with a clot, flushing with 10 ml (125,000 IU) of enzyme solution (Varizyme, American Cyanamid Co., Princeton, NJ) was effective in dissolving it. In two trials, changes in the hematologic measurements were compared for percentage of hematocrit, concentration of total plasma corticosteroids, total circulating erythrocytes, and leukocytes on venous blood collected simultaneously from jugular and tail veins.
FIG. 4. Tubing is inserted through the needle in tail vein, extending anterior into the larger iliac vein. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 7, 1978
976
SEARS ET AL. T o t a l circulating e r y t h r o c y t e s and leukocytes were measured with an electronic cell c o u n t e r (Model B, C o u n t e r Electronic, Inc., Hialeah, FL). H e m a t o c r i t s were measured according to the m i c r o h e m a t o c r i t procedure (International Micro-Capillary Centrifuge, Model MB, International Equip. Co., Boston, MA). In trial 2, f o u r cows in their 4th m o of lactation were used to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r changes in b l o o d l e u k o c y t e s and eorticosteroids could be d e t e c t e d as well in the tail as in the jugular vein blood samples after intravenous injection of 250 IU o f a d r e n o c o r t i c o t r o p i n (ACTH). T o t a l c o r t i c o s t e r o i d c o n c e n t r a t i o n of plasma and total l e u k o c y t e s were measured at 1 h before and at intravenous injection o f A C T H and 2, 5, and 10 h after injection. Solvent extraction and c o m p e t i t i v e protein-binding analysis were used to q u a n t i f y total corticosteroid of plasma (5) as m o d i f i e d by Gwazdauskas et at. (3). The data were analyzed by a least squares m o d e l that i n c l u d e d cows, vein, time of sampling, and cows × vein and vein × h interactions. Effects of cows were random, effects of veins were tested against the m e a n square for c o w x vein, and effects of hours were tested
FIG. 5. Tail cannula is padded with gauze and fastened to tail by adhesive tape; venous blood can be sampled without disturbing the animal.
In trial 1, two Holstein cows in their 3rd and 5th m o of lactation were e q u i p p e d with jugular and tail vein cannulae 24 h b e f o r e the experiment. Jugular cannulae were inserted according to Paape et al. (6). Each cow received an infusion of 400 c o l o n y - f o r m i n g units o f Streptococcus agalactiae in all f o u r quarters. Blood samples were taken simultaneously f r o m the jugular and tail vein cannulae 4 h before infusion and at 0, 4, 12, 36, and 48 h after infusion.
TABLE 1. Circulating blood values in the jugular and tail vein after intramammary infusion of 400 colony forming units of Streptococcus agalactiae, a Erythrocytes Hour
Jugular
Leukocytes Tail
(ceils X lOS/mm a in blood) -4 0 4 12 24 36 48 Mean
86.0 82.2 79.7 84.2 83.9 88.2 83.1 83.9
Error mean square Significance Hour (H) Tail (T)/jugular (J) H X T/J
85.4 83.1 80.3 84.2 82.7 87.2 83.2 83.7
Jugular
Hematocrit Tail
Jugular
(%)
(cells/mm 3 in blood) 15,000 15,000 14,600 15,000 13,200 14,100 13,800 14,400
15,200 16,000 15,000 15,000 12,600 13,900 14,000 14,500
Tail
26 28 28 30 30 31 29 29
27 29 28 30 30 31 29 29
58
1,133
.119
P
ABSTRACT
vein cannula would be located on the animal in an area which would be easily accessible in most types of housing. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of cannulation of the tail vein and to compare several components of blood collected from the jugular and tail veins.
Blood samples obtained simultaneously from the jugular and tail (coccygeal) veins during induction of bovine mastitis infection and after administration of 250 IU of adrenocorticotropin did not differ in percentage of hematocrit, concentration of total corticosteroid in plasma, or concentrations of total circulating erythrocytes and leukocytes. Patency of the tail vein cannula was maintained for 1 mo. Tail vein cannulation is a practical alternative to jugular cannulation in cattle.
MATERIALS
INTRODUCTION
Physiological research on the bovine animal often requires many samples o f venous blood with minimal disturbance to the animal. To alliviate the need of additional venous puncture for each sample, a jugular cannula often is used; however, attachment of the cannula and sampiing apparatus is awkward. Bulky bandages or loose tubing are vulnerable to snagging and accidental removal unless the animal is restrained. Such restraint may effect physiological parameters which are important to the study. Cannulation of the tail vein would provide an alternative method of cannulation which would eliminate the need for excessive restraint. The tail
Received November 14, 1977. a Mention of products or companies of this report does n o t constitute endorsement by the U. S. Department of Agriculture to the exclusion of others not mentioned.
2Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State Uni-
versity, Columbus 43210. 3Genetics and Management Laboratory, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705. 4Department of Dairy Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061. 1978 J Dairy Sci 61:974--979
AND METHODS
The middle tail artery and vein lie along the ventral vertebral groove (sulcus vasculous) that restricts and holds the artery and vein in a ventro-dorsal position (1, 8) (Fig. 1). The artery lies ventral to the vein as they pass the longitudinal axis of the vertebra and are parallel at the intervertebral spaces. A large lateral tail vein lies along the lateral surface of the vertebrae and anastomoses segmentally with the middle tail vein (2). When pressure is applied by extending the tail dorsally over the animal's back, exposing the ventral surface of the tail, the middle tail artery and vein become occluded partly by the pressure at the base of the tail. Pressure at the base of the tail causes the artery to become smaller and increases the diameter of the vein at the intervertebral spaces (4) (Fig. 2). At this space the vein can be punctured easily with a sharp thin-wall needle (13 to 14 gauge thin-wall needle - Popper and Son, NY), inserted just proximally to the paired hemal arches (Fig. 3) of coccygeal vertebra. No order exists as to which side of the body the vein will be found. If bright red arterial blood returns through the needle, the vein can be located by withdrawing the needle and reinserting at an angle toward the opposite side. Venous flow may return slowly through the needle. Once in the vein, the needle seldom needs further adjustment. Polyethylene (Polyethylene tubing, PXO32 Becton, Dickinson and Co., Rutherford, NJ or PE190 Clay Adams Inc., Parsipany, NJ) or Tygon tubing (Chemofluor TFE, spaghetti tub-
974
TECHNICAL NOTE
FIG. 1. Ventral view of tail circulation of cattle.
ing AWG20 and AWG18, TW., Chemplast Inc., Wayne, NJ) was inserted through the needle (Fig. 4), extending anterior into the larger iliac vein. The tubing was inserted into the larger iliac vein to reduce the likelihood o f blood clots forming around the tubing. Approximately 60 cm of tubing was inserted into the vein. The needle was withdrawn, a cannula-to-lure adapter (Becton Dickinson, NJ) was attached, and the tubing was flushed generously with 30 ml of anticoagulant (2.5% sodium citrate).
FIG. 2. Ventral view of tail circulation of cattle when the circulation is occluded partly by pressure at the base of the tail.
975
FIG. 3. Thin-wall needle is inserted along ventral midline just proximal to the paired hemal archs of coccygeal vertebra.
The cannula was padded with gauze (10 × 10 cm) and fastened to the tail with adhesive tape (Fig. 5). The cannula was flushed before and after all samplings to prevent blood clots from entering and obstructing the cannula. If the cannula became occluded partly with a clot, flushing with 10 ml (125,000 IU) of enzyme solution (Varizyme, American Cyanamid Co., Princeton, NJ) was effective in dissolving it. In two trials, changes in the hematologic measurements were compared for percentage of hematocrit, concentration of total plasma corticosteroids, total circulating erythrocytes, and leukocytes on venous blood collected simultaneously from jugular and tail veins.
FIG. 4. Tubing is inserted through the needle in tail vein, extending anterior into the larger iliac vein. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 61, No. 7, 1978
976
SEARS ET AL. T o t a l circulating e r y t h r o c y t e s and leukocytes were measured with an electronic cell c o u n t e r (Model B, C o u n t e r Electronic, Inc., Hialeah, FL). H e m a t o c r i t s were measured according to the m i c r o h e m a t o c r i t procedure (International Micro-Capillary Centrifuge, Model MB, International Equip. Co., Boston, MA). In trial 2, f o u r cows in their 4th m o of lactation were used to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r changes in b l o o d l e u k o c y t e s and eorticosteroids could be d e t e c t e d as well in the tail as in the jugular vein blood samples after intravenous injection of 250 IU o f a d r e n o c o r t i c o t r o p i n (ACTH). T o t a l c o r t i c o s t e r o i d c o n c e n t r a t i o n of plasma and total l e u k o c y t e s were measured at 1 h before and at intravenous injection o f A C T H and 2, 5, and 10 h after injection. Solvent extraction and c o m p e t i t i v e protein-binding analysis were used to q u a n t i f y total corticosteroid of plasma (5) as m o d i f i e d by Gwazdauskas et at. (3). The data were analyzed by a least squares m o d e l that i n c l u d e d cows, vein, time of sampling, and cows × vein and vein × h interactions. Effects of cows were random, effects of veins were tested against the m e a n square for c o w x vein, and effects of hours were tested
FIG. 5. Tail cannula is padded with gauze and fastened to tail by adhesive tape; venous blood can be sampled without disturbing the animal.
In trial 1, two Holstein cows in their 3rd and 5th m o of lactation were e q u i p p e d with jugular and tail vein cannulae 24 h b e f o r e the experiment. Jugular cannulae were inserted according to Paape et al. (6). Each cow received an infusion of 400 c o l o n y - f o r m i n g units o f Streptococcus agalactiae in all f o u r quarters. Blood samples were taken simultaneously f r o m the jugular and tail vein cannulae 4 h before infusion and at 0, 4, 12, 36, and 48 h after infusion.
TABLE 1. Circulating blood values in the jugular and tail vein after intramammary infusion of 400 colony forming units of Streptococcus agalactiae, a Erythrocytes Hour
Jugular
Leukocytes Tail
(ceils X lOS/mm a in blood) -4 0 4 12 24 36 48 Mean
86.0 82.2 79.7 84.2 83.9 88.2 83.1 83.9
Error mean square Significance Hour (H) Tail (T)/jugular (J) H X T/J
85.4 83.1 80.3 84.2 82.7 87.2 83.2 83.7
Jugular
Hematocrit Tail
Jugular
(%)
(cells/mm 3 in blood) 15,000 15,000 14,600 15,000 13,200 14,100 13,800 14,400
15,200 16,000 15,000 15,000 12,600 13,900 14,000 14,500
Tail
26 28 28 30 30 31 29 29
27 29 28 30 30 31 29 29
58
1,133
.119
P
