How Much Fluids Should I Give My Cat
Your veterinarian will tell how much to give your cat for your specific situation. The average sized cat should receive 100-150 ml of fluids at one time. As a rule, the average sized cat should receive 100-150 ml of fluids at one time. If you are using two locations, you should give half of that amount in each location. 1.
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What Is Subcutaneous Fluid Therapy
Cats have extra space between their skin and the underlying tissues, and this is a great place to deposit fluids. Once the liquid has been injected into this space, the cat’s body absorbs and uses it over the next few hours. Subcutaneous fluid therapy at home can add good quality and quantity to the time that elderly cats with chronic illnesses have with their families.
How Much Fluid Should I Give My Dog
The instructions at the end of this handout tell how much to give for your dogs condition and health status.
As a rule, the average small dog should receive 100-200 ml of fluids at one time.
As a rule, the average small dog should receive 100-200 ml of fluids at one time. If you are using two spots, you can give half of that amount in each location.
When you have given the prescribed amount of fluids, complete the following steps:
1. Stop the flow of fluids by pushing the roller in the fluid set lock downward firmly. If you do not close it well and the bag is left hanging, fluid will drip out. Some bags will have an additional slide closure on the fluid line. You can close this additional device after you have removed the needle from your pets skin.
2. Remove the needle from the skin and replace its protective cap. Be very careful when you replace the needle into the cap. This is when the majority of injuries and needle sticks occur. Remove the used needle from the drip set.
3. PLACE A NEW, STERILE NEEDLE ON THE DRIP SET AS SOON AS YOU ARE THROUGH. This prevents bacteria that were picked up on the old needle from migrating up into the fluid bag. If you wish, you may return used needles to your veterinary hospital for proper disposal.
4. Store the equipment in a safe place until the next fluid administration. The fluids should be kept in a relatively cool location out of direct sunlight. Be sure to keep this and all medications out of the reach of children and pets.
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What You Will Need
Ive included direct links to where Ive purchased these products from, in case you need ideas on where to go to get them.
| Product |
| Vitality Medical, |
* recommended, but not strictly required
Check out Choosing and Buying Needles if you need more information on how needles are sized and what all the different numbers on the labels mean.
Shopping for subq fluids supplies can take a little bit of practice and planning. If you are just getting started with giving fluids to your own cat, do yourself a favor and purchase your first kit directly from your vet. The vet will provide you with the fluid bag, line, and needles. They may even attach the line to the bag for you.
The fluid bags used in this process require a prescription. As far as I know there isnt anyplace where you can buy them, in any country, without a prescription. There may be some less-than-reputable sources, but as this is something being injected directly into your cat I would strongly advise against attempting to use any fluids that can be acquired without a prescription.
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How Much Fluid Should I Give My Cat
Your veterinarian will tell how much to give your cat for your specific situation.
As a rule, the average sized cat should receive 100-150 ml of fluids at one time. If you are using two locations on your cat, you should give half of that amount in each location.
When you have given the prescribed amount of fluids, complete the following steps:
1. Stop the flow of fluids by pushing the roller in the fluid set lock downward firmly. If you do not close it well and the bag is left hanging, fluid will drip out. Some bags will have an additional slide closure on the fluid line. You can close this additional device after you have removed the needle from your pet’s skin.
2. Remove the needle from the skin and replace its protective cap. Be very careful when you replace the needle into the cap. This is when the majority of injuries and “needle sticks” occur. Remove the used needle from the drip set.
3. PLACE A NEW, STERILE NEEDLE ON THE DRIP SET AS SOON AS YOU ARE THROUGH. This prevents bacteria that were picked up on the old needle from migrating up into the fluid bag. If you wish, you may return used needles to your veterinary hospital for proper disposal.
4. Store the equipment in a safe place until the next fluid administration. The fluids should be kept in a relatively cool location out of direct sunlight. Be sure to keep this and all medications out of the reach of children and pets.
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How Do You Administer The Fluids
Choose a comfortable location where you will treat your cat. This may be on a table, countertop, or on your lap.
What Treatments Are Available
Depending on the results of blood tests, your veterinarian may be faced with several problems that require different treatments. Dont worry if the list below seems so long that you will never be able to administer all of the medications. The majority of cats can be effectively managed with diet change, including supplementation and one or two other treatments.
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Subcutaneous Fluid Administration Recovery In Cats
Immediately following sub-q administration of fluids your cat will have a lump where the fluid was inserted. This is normal and the fluid will absorb into the tissues. The fluid may move down into the abdomen or legs. Some cats are somewhat lethargic after treatment. Occasionally, fluid, sometimes with blood in it, will leak out of the injection site, this is not cause for alarm and will stop when fluid pressure decreases. Some cats do not tolerate this therapy well and find it stressful, if they have a chronic condition requiring treatment, an alternative solution may be needed. Cats with chronic conditions, or those experiencing an acute condition that has affected electrolyte imbalance or organ functioning may require a special diet after treatment to ensure return to normal functioning.
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Could The Renal Failure Have Been Diagnosed Earlier
Unfortunately, this is very difficult as neither clinical signs of renal failure, nor rises in BUN and creatinine are evident until significant loss of kidney function has occurred. In earlier stages of disease, there are no clinical signs to indicate that sophisticated renal function tests, which can pick up early renal damage, are required. We recommend that all senior pets have at least annual blood chemistry profiles, including BUN and creatinine, and a urinalysis to diagnose kidney disease at its earliest detectable level. A low urine specific gravity may indicate that at least two-thirds of the kidney tissues are damaged. An inappropriately low urine specific gravity is often the first sign seen.
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What Should I Do If My Cats Subcutaneous Fluids Are Leaking
When subcutaneous fluids are given to the cat, at certain times, you may notice leakage. If this happens with your cat, do not panic! This is very common and happens to most cat owners the first time they inject the fluid.
There are different ways to fix leaking fluids, based on the scenarios we have mentioned.
How Is Cardiomyopathy Treated
In cases where an underlying cause of the heart disease is found, then treatment of this condition may result in improvement or reversal of the heart disease.Hyperthyroidism is the most treatable cause of cardiomyopathy since complete resolution of the heart disease is possible if diagnosed and treated early. In cases where no cause is identified and in cases where disease remains following treatment for an underlying cause then medication may be needed.
Treatment varies according to each case but may include:
The long term outlook for a cat with cardiomyopathy is extremely variable depending on the cause of this disease. Cats with idiopathic cardiomyopathy may remain stable for several years.
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How To Give Subcutaneous Fluids To A Difficult Cat
Have you found yourself sent home with an IV bag and needles from the Veterinarian? This probably means your cat, like ours, needs to get a certain amount of subcutaneous fluids every week. We were standing in your shoes when our cat was released from the hospital after being diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease.
Of course, once we get home we quickly found a problem, we needed to sort out how to give subcutaneous fluids to a difficult cat. Our Olaf was not having our having it after being good for about a week or so. I figure he was starting to improve enough from his crash that his fighting spirit was back. He has continued his fuss with us over the years of administering subQ but thankfully along the way we have picked up some handy tips.
Tips For Administering Subcutaneous Fluids Safely To Your Cat
- Always wash your hands before and after you administer the fluids. You should also disinfect the area where you will be performing the procedure – the table or place that you have chosen.
- Use a new needle every time you administer the fluids. After you puncture the cat’s skin, the needle might not be as sharp anymore, and using it again might be painful for your cat. Also, when you take out the needle, you might touch its fur and contaminate the needle. It is safest to dispose of it after each administration.
- If you have to administer fluids subcutaneously to your cat more than once, then remember to switch sides between administrations. This is very important if you have to do it daily because always putting in the fluids on the same side can be traumatizing to your cat.
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Cost Of Subcutaneous Fluid Administration In Cats
The cost of subcutaneous fluid administration in an emergency or acute situation will vary depending on the condition being treated and other veterinary care requirements.
The cost of subcutaneous fluid administration for chronic condition such as kidney disease from a veterinarian is about $25 per treatment, for a cat requiring multiple treatments per month this can equal approximately $300 per month. If prescribed by a veterinarian for administration at home, the cost is approximately $30 per month.
A catheter or skin button costs approximately $100 plus the cost for insertion and required anaesthetic expenses.
Worried about the cost of Subcutaneous Fluid Administration treatment?
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What Is Constipation
Constipation can be defined as an abnormal accumulation of feces resulting in difficult bowel movements. This may result in reduced frequency or absence of defecation. The feces are retained in the large intestine or colon. Since one of the functions of the colon is water absorption, the retained feces become hard and dry, which makes fecal passage even more difficult.
Constipated cats strain in an attempt to defecate resulting in abdominal pain. Some constipated cats may pass small amounts of liquid feces or blood. They will often vomit during and/or after straining to defecate, whether or not feces are produced. They will also often lose their appetite and/or become lethargic when they are constipated.Many constipated cats will defecate outside the box and often it is unintentional. They may start out in the litter box trying to defecate but little or nothing comes out until they start to walk away. The physical activity of walking helps some feces fall out to the ground. Alternatively, they may defecate wherever they are if they get the urge, which can be very frequently since their colon is so full and a litter box may be too far away. Finally, they may start to associate the pain of straining and difficult defecation with the litter box and develop an aversion to using it because of that.
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How To Make Sub
Time to switch your scrub cap out for your teaching cap. Heres an in-depth look at how to talk your veterinary clients through at-home administration of subcutaneous fluids.
One of the most challenging homework assignments that we, as veterinary professionals, sometimes ask of our clients is to administer subcutaneous fluids at home-usually to a senior cat in renal failure, though many dogs can benefit from this at-home therapy as well.
Not surprisingly, many clients find this task daunting, and their nervousness about performing this procedure is often exacerbated by the fact that they were not properly shown how to administer the fluids during their in-clinic demonstration. Here are a few things to keep in mind when tutoring clients on how to perform this procedure at home:
Instill confidence
The instant most clients see the bag, the lines and especially the 20- or 18-ga needles, they tend to immediately feel intimidated by the equipment and deflated by the whole thing. Because of this, it’s really important to:
> Reassure your clients that if their veterinarian thought that this procedure was not able to be successfully performed at home, she would likely not have ordered it. Let them know that given the specifics of their situation, such as their pet’s personality and their physical abilities, there’s a good chance they’ll be able to pull this off, and that it will get easier with practice.
Make sure they understand the medicine
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What Equipment Do I Need
The equipment for home fluid therapy typically consists of a bag of fluids, a fluid drip set, and a needle. The fluid drip set is simply a tube that connects the fluid bag to the needle.
A member of your veterinary healthcare team will go through the steps with you in person. The steps are as follows:
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