Study points to a practical way to reduce venipuncture in dogs

Version 1 — Brief

A new JAVMA study suggests veterinary teams may be able to cut down on repeat needle sticks in hospitalized dogs by using a “push-pull” blood collection technique through a peripheral IV catheter instead of fresh venipuncture for every sample. In the prospective study of 70 dogs, researchers compared paired samples collected by venipuncture and from a freshly placed 20-gauge peripheral IV catheter, then repeated sampling after at least 24 hours of hospitalization while dogs were receiving IV fluids and medications. The study found strong overall correlation between the two methods, with some statistically significant differences but no clinically meaningful differences for most CBC and biochemistry values. (researchgate.net)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the practical appeal is straightforward: fewer venipuncture events could mean less patient stress, less vessel trauma, and potentially less cumulative blood loss during hospitalization. That matters most in dogs needing serial monitoring, especially when teams are balancing patient comfort, nursing workload, and sample quality. Prior work from Penn Vet had already shown the push-pull method could produce accurate results in dogs, and a Clinician’s Brief review notes repeated venipuncture can contribute to hematoma formation, iatrogenic anemia, infection risk, and discomfort in critically ill patients. (eurekalert.org)

What to watch: Expect attention to how widely this protocol is adopted in practice, and whether follow-up work refines which analytes, catheter conditions, or patient populations are best suited for catheter-based sampling. (researchgate.net)