Need advice about giving fluids please

PatJ

PatJ

Member
Is there anyone who could tell me whether it would be harmful to inject a cat with plain water (pre-boiled) under its' skin? My cat has chronic pancreatitis and my last vet refused to give me any fluids, as did the other vet in the practice, saying that onsior anti - inflammatory tablets every other day and Hills new dry Biome food is all he needs to correct his pancreatitis. :banghead:

I really don't want to sit in the vets surgery with him at the moment as I daren't pass this rotten virus on to my husband, so I'm hoping it will be safe to inject him with water only. Would it hurt him? Have tried the internet but couldn't find anything about it. Only sub q fluids.
 
You need special needles and IV lines to get water or fluids under the skin.

Try to keep him hydrated by adding water to his food.
Or you can try to put water in his mouth with a feeding syringe, like is used with a baby.
Or if you have some sort of meat or fish broth, low salt is better, homemade or store bought, try putting out a dish of that.
Tuna juice or clam juice or mixing some smelly fish like sardines with some water and putting out a dish of that may help to keep William better hydrated.

p.s. Take good care of yourself and your husband Pat. These are stressful and worrying times.
 
Sorry Deb, It must be something I'm doing, but I'd like to know what it is!

I was trying to say that although I've got the needles he didn't give me a bag of fluids, just a bottle which he said to draw 20mls from, which I did but his BG went up to 26.6 but I don't know if that's normal.

So could I attach the needles to a syringe full of water or is that a no go? If not, I'll do what you said to do. I just thought that fluids were part of the treatment for pancreatitis

Take good care of yourself too. Keep safe.

This situation is so surreal. The whole world has been knocked sideways. Let's hope we all come through this unscathed.
 
Usually IV fluids come in a plastic bag. They are a balanced electrolyte solution, called Lactated Ringers or Hartmann's is another type (had to look that 2nd one up). It's also called saline solution. Does your bottle of fluids from the vet contain Dextrose? Some iv fluids have sugars like dextrose in them.

Does your bottle look like any of these pictures?
1200px-NaCl_0%2C9%25_500ml_white_background.jpg


upload_2020-3-17_18-31-38.jpeg
 

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I don't know what your syringes from the vet look like that, the ones they gave you to draw up the fluids from the bottle. Not sure if you can draw up only water with what you have. It depends on the needle size. IV fluids are usually given with a larger bore needle, 18-22 gauge.

Are the syringes you have for the fluids one time use only? At least the needle part of the syringe should be disposable. Preferably the entire syringe, so you don't risk contamination of the fluid with your needle, the next time you withdraw solution from that bottle.

Fluids help with pancreatitis, because a cat can get dehydrated. From vomiting, from diarrhea. From not drinking enough water or other liquid.
 
Yes, my bottle looks like the one in the picture. There is nothing about dextrose written on it and the needles are one time use only.I think they're size 20G .I didn't know how to store the bottle, if it should go in the fridge or not, there's nothing on the bottle, so I don't know if it's safe to use now. I bought it about five days ago so I won't chance it now. I thought that it was for pain and he's not looking dehydrated so I'll just put water in his food. I just wondered if it would be all right to inject water under his skin. Didn't know if it was safe or not. I looked on the internet but it just talks about sub q fluids.

I'm sorry to have put you to all that trouble Deb. Thank you ever so much.

Hope you're keeping safe.
 
PatJ said:
I didn't know how to store the bottle, if it should go in the fridge or not, there's nothing on the bottle, so I don't know if it's safe to use now. I bought it about five days ago so I won't chance it now.
Click to expand...

Fluids should maintain sterility, without refrigeration for 30 days or longer. Can be up to 60 days but that is pushing the limits on sterility and some samples could have bacteria at 60 days, per this article.
Assessment of Sterility in Fluid Bags Maintained for Chronic Use

No trouble at all Pat. It's why this message board exists, to help people with diabetic cats.

p.s. Yes, safe here so far.
 
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