A practical method for non-surgically inserting intra-arterial catheters in European wild boars (Sus scrofa)

In endocrinological studies, the usual methods for taking blood samples are impractical because of the need for frequent sampling, and catheterization is required. The catheterization methods described for domestic pigs are not suitable for use with European wild boars (Sus scrofa) under field conditions. We describe a method for inserting an intra-arterial catheter into the European wild boar. The animals were sedated with a combination of medetomidin (Domitor 1 mg/ml, Orion-Farmos, Finland) and zolazepam and tiletamine (Zoletil forte vet 50 mg/ml + 50 mg/ml, Virbac Laboratories, France). Four animals were catheterized and sampled at 2-h intervals for 48 h in March under winter conditions and five in June under summer conditions. In March, all the catheters remained in place for the entire sampling period. In June, one animal managed to displace the catheter from its artery, but it was recatheterized and the rest of the samples were collected without problems. This catheterization method is relatively easy to carry out and requires no special facilities.