Abstract
Anatomical knowledge is fundamental for good veterinary practice to ensure the health and welfare of animals under veterinary care. Correct venipuncture is an inevitable medical skill for further diagnostic examination, intravenous injection or infusion especially in sick animals. In Germany, South American camelids (SAC) are becoming increasingly popular, but are still rather uncommon patients and a neglected issue in veterinary medical education. Blood sampling of SAC is possible at different locations but preferably conducted on the jugular vein to obtain larger quantities. Due to anatomical peculiarities, such as the absence of a jugular furrow, the blood sampling from the vena jugularis is more difficult in SAC than in ruminants or horses. Presently, hardly any anatomical studies are available. The aim of the present anatomical study was to illustrate correct locations of venipuncture by colouration of the vena jugularis, arteria carotis, truncus vagosympaticus trunks and the oesophagus. Surrounding structures were prepared to improve the anatomical comprehension. Further preparations were carried out of the vena brachialis on the cranial forearm, the vena and arteria saphena as well as the nervus femoralis on the medial side of the stifle and the superficial vena coccygealis of the tail. Ear veins were also considered in preparation as they can be easily accessed to collect small amounts of blood, e. g. for the diagnosis of pregnancy or DNA analyses. Anatomical pictures will be illustrated in comparison with pictures of blood collection in living SAC to link theory with practice on the poster. In addition, to clarify anatomical, unprepared locations of superficial and subjacent structures of the SAC neck, images of the cervical region were produced by computed tomography as well as magnetic resonance tomography and compared with transverse sections of the afterwards frozen neck. The presented pictures give detailed information on possible locations for venipuncture in SAC facilitating blood collection for veterinarians and SAC owners.