Guidelines
Catheters and Vascular Access Ports (VAP) in Göttingen Minipigs
The main reason for using catheters in a minipig is to facilitate repeated serial blood sampling or intravenous dosing. It reduces the animal’s stress level, improves welfare, and decreases the number of employees required for the procedure.
Although the surgical procedure and the maintenance of the catheter entail some risks and challenges, both can be successfully executed after some training and if properly managed.
There are several possibilities for catheterization as well as careful considerations regarding study design and animal welfare when choosing the appropriate approach.
The purpose of this paper is to inform about the material and methods tested at Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs. Several options are explained, and the aim is to help you find the right approach for your study design.
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