Method and apparatus for administering fluid to animals subcutaneously

A method of administering fluids to an animal, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming only one opening in the animal's skin, the opening being positioned proximally on the animal's body;
• b) providing an elongated catheter that includes a wall, a lumen, and proximal and distal end portions, the distal end portion having at least one discharge opening;
• c) placing a majority of the length of the catheter through the incision or opening and into a subcutaneous space that is within the animals body;
• d) anchoring the proximal portion of the catheter to the animal's body at the incision or opening formed in step “a”;
• and
• e) transmitting fluids to the animal subcutaneously via the catheter.

A animal catheter for dispensing fluids to an animal body that includes skin and a subcutaneous space underneath the skin, comprising:

• a) a catheter tube portion having a catheter wall, a lumen, and proximal and distal end portions;
• b) a fitting attached to the proximal end portion of the catheter tube, the fitting having an opening that communicates with the catheter lumen;
• c) the fitting including an attachment portion that enables one to anchor the catheter at the fitting to the animal's skin and externally of the subcutaneous space;
• and
• d) only a portion of the catheter wall having wall openings therethrough, said perforated portion including at least a part of the distal end portion of the catheter tube.

A method of administering fluids to an animal, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming one or more openings in the animal's skin, at least one of the openings being positioned proximally on the animal's body;
• b) providing an elongated catheter that includes a wall, a lumen, and proximal and distal end portions, the proximal end portion having a skirt, the distal end portion having at least one discharge opening;
• c) placing a majority of the length of the catheter in a subcutaneous space that extends proximally to distally on the animals body;
• d) anchoring the skirt of the catheter to the animal's skin externally and at the incision or opening formed in step “a”;
• and
• e) transmitting fluids to the animal via the catheter by removably connecting a fluids containing vessel to the catheter and discharging the fluids from the vessel into the subcutaneous space via the catheter.