How to catheterise the female canine

The goal of this article is to allay some of the fear associated with placing a catheter in the female canine, and to describe a manual technique for female urinary catheterisation. In order to gain proficiency in the techniques of placing female urinary catheters, some nurses find it useful to practice on recently deceased patients (if this is not against the hospital policy of your employer).

There are many catheter types in all lengths and sizes. Most veterinary hospitals have red rubber catheters in stock and these can easily be used for urinary catheterisation of female dogs. They vary in size from 3.5 French (Fr) on up to 16 French and above. Generally a large female may accommodate a 12 French (larger French catheters are generally easier to place in females than small ones). Most of these catheter lengths are 25–40 cm, all of which work for females patients. These types of catheters are more difficult to secure for long-term use than a Foley catheter (Figure 1), requiring suturing.