Urinary catheterisation of female dogs: a comparison between three techniques for catheter placement

The objective of this study was to describe a new technique for urinary catheterisation of female dogs using a novel catheterisation device (NCD) and to compare the time taken to place a catheter using this technique with traditional techniques. A secondary objective was to survey participants on which of the techniques they preferred. Female canine cadavers of varying sizes were utilised and veterinary students who had not previously placed a urinary catheter were enrolled. Each participant performed three catheterisation techniques, Visual with speculum (SPEC), Blind Palpation (BP) and catheterisation with NCD on three sizes of dog. Time required using each technique was compared using Kaplan-Meier plots and mixed models Cox Proportional Hazards regression. Median times to catheterisation were 300 s (IQR 261-417 s) with the SPEC method, 420 s (IQR 253-545 s) with the NCD method and 725 s (574-1032s) with the BP method. Both SPEC and NCD methods were significantly faster compared to the BP method, with Hazard Ratios of 3.66 (95% CI 1.94-6.91, P < 0.001) and 3.57 (95% CI 1.87-6.81, P < 0.001), respectively. Six of nine participants found the NCD the easiest technique, 5/9 of the participants found the palpation technique most difficult and 4/9 found the speculum technique most difficult. BP appears to be the technique of least preference and increased time requirement. The novel urinary catheterisation device may provide a simpler method of visualisation of the urethral papilla and may provide a more sterile way of placing the catheter, although further investigation is needed to confirm this.