Dear Kristine ! Certainly, I did this operation some years ago. It is the same as discribed in the book "Experimental and surgical technique in the rat", H.B.Waynforth, Academic Press, London, New York, (1980) pp.52-56. The operation discribed for caudal vein (for jugular also) and the diameter of femoral v. is near to caudal v. Thus, this is operative technique, you need the needle of 20 G (the size) for piercing the vein and after that you will pushing a catheter with i.d.0.28 and o.d. 0.61 mm through the needle and then withdrawing the needle leaving the catheter in the vein. About 1.5 cm of catheter should lie in the vein. It is suitable for adult rats with body weight of 240 - 280 g. 

Dear Kristine,

you should visit the webpage of the National Centre for the 3Rs of Animals in Research.

https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/

Best regards,

Chris