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The most commonly used site for intravenous injection and catheterization in the horse is the external jugular vein due to large vessel size and ease and convenience of access. The left and right jugular veins are located in the jugular furrows on either side of the neck. The jugular vein is in close association with the trachea on the ventromedial surface and the common carotid artery and vagosympathetic trunk on the dorsomedial surface [1]. The left jugular vein is also closely associated with the esophagus and the left recurrent laryngeal nerve, which are located dorsomedially to the vein [1]. Although venipuncture or catheterization may occur at any site where the vein is visible, the carotid artery is closer to the jugular vein in the lower part of the neck.

The recommended site for jugular venipuncture and catheterization is the proximal third of the neck, because the omohyoideus muscle traverses between the jugular vein and the carotid artery, placing the jugular vein more superficially and increasing the separation between the two vascular structures [1, 2]. Alternate sites for venous access if the jugular vein is not patent or accessible include the cephalic vein, the lateral thoracic vein, and the saphenous vein [1, 2]. These sites are less preferred because of reduced patient compliance during venipuncture or catheterization (cephalic and saphenous), difficulty in visualizing the vein (lateral thoracic), and increased chance for occlusion or dislodgement of catheters (all sites) compared to the jugular veins [1, 4].