Tips for subQ fluids please

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Sarah and Buzz

Sarah and Buzz

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I am going to start Buzz on subQ fluids tonight. Here is the background on the reason: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1929

The vet said "if you don't keep Buzz well-hydrated at home, it could be life-threatening". She is eating as normal and I have been adding water to her food. I did the scruff test to see if it bounced back quickly or not, and it was a little slow.

1. Should I begin subQ fluids even though she is still eating and drinking chicken-flavored water?
2. I have never done anything like this before and I am so afraid that it's going to freak Buzz out and we won't be able to get it to work or she will run and hide and we will have to pull her out from under the bed and then she won't eat and we will be in worse shape than before I gave fluids. I am mildly freaking out, if you couldn't tell. ;) ANY tips or tricks or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Be sure to warm your fluids before using them. I place the bag into a largish bowl and pour hot tap water into the bowl until the bag is completely immersed. For a full bag, you may have to change the bowl water a couple of times until the fluid is as warm as your neck/face. (I hold the bag to may face and if I do not feel a chill, I figure it is just right temp wise. Fresh sterile needle is applied to line and then for about 5 seconds, I open the line up over the sink so that the cold fluid in the line can be replaced with the warmed fluid from the bag. Recap sterile needle with cover.

When you are ready to give your kitty fluids, make sure that the procedure is done in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. I use the back bedroom and have a small table in there that is about 12" taller than the foot of the bed. It is covered in several layers of a fluffy goosedown comforter, and that is what Stormy lays on while getting his fluids. I sit on the foot of the bed while I administer them. (This is the same table that he gets his BGL tested on, so he is comfortable there).

I hang the fluid bag about 3' higher than the table on a small hook that is in the wall. Gravity is important. :-)
EVERYTHING is ready before I bring Stormy into the room. Bag warmed, fresh sterile needle inserted on the IV line, etc. Once all is ready, I go get my boy.

I place him on the table and pet and soothe him until he lays down on his tummy and is comfortable. Needle then inserted into the skin, just behind his shoulder blades - and then I crank open the valve and let the fluids run in. The entire time he is getting his fluids, I talk to him soothingly and chin scritch him with one hand while keeping the other hand lightly across his middle back in case he tries to bolt. Sometime you will find that you have to adjust the line as it will get into their face, or the flow will slow - just gently move it around until the flow increases again and the tube is not in kitty's face.

Once the RXed amount has been administered, turn off the valve and then remove needle gently from kitty's skin. Lay the now capped needle and line aside and pet and stroke your baby - then give a nice treat to them for being so calm and good while they got the fluid.

HTH,

~M
 
have you seen any of the videos for doing sub-q's yet?

my late Kitty was hell on paws and we failed at trying to give fluids to her initially but most recently with my Spazzie it was a breeze. especially if i sat a plate of tuna down in front of her to eat on while i did the fluids.
 
I tried the clothes pin trickon my Maxwell. He was certainly better with the pins than without them.

The only cat I've ever successfully given SubQ fluids to was my Bailey, an old feral.

Good luck. Some people and cats have an easy time.
 
Hi Sarah -

Our Beabhen (GA) was on subQ for a year for CRF. Meghan, another kitty needed them for a nasty kidney infection, but only for a few weeks.

It was difficult at first for both, but they both adjusted so don't be as concerned if the first few tries aren't as easy as you would like.

Mary gave some great advice. I don't have much to offer because I thought her advice was pretty close to perfect.

We followed similar actions (but didn't warm the fluids...wish I had thought of that). I hung our bag on the shower curtain rod, sat on the bathroom floor with the door closed (contained space) and held Beabhen and inserted needle while my DH released the fluids/watched the bag for the amount. I was able to do this on my own if needed after a few weeks practice, but always found it easier to do with DH. Lots of praise and reassurance is so key...if I would stop talking or petting, Beabhen would start to move.

Beabhen didn't love the process, but it made a huge difference in her quality of life and she quickly came accustomed to them...so much better than going to the vets for them!

Good luck and pets to Buzz.
 
Here is a great website which goes step by step with the way this owner gave fluids, their equipment, technique, etc. I not only learned from this site, but felt much more confident after reading through it.

http://www.weirdstuffwemake.com/weird/s ... juice.html

FYI, the needles might look large, but try to stick within about a 3"x3" square in the scruff area. Gandalf rarely if ever seems to feel it. Also, if they gave you 18 Gauge needles, you can get smaller ones, like 20 or 21 gauge. Thrivingpets.com or Bricomedicalsupplies.net are the two best online sites to order fluid supplies from. You will need your vet's prescription.

Good luck to you and Buzz! Let us know how it's going!
 
Thanks, guys! I am going to wait until after her insulin injection to give fluids for the first time (in about an hour). This way in case she bolts, she will at least have already eaten and gotten her insulin for the night.

I am finding this difficult to imagine doing, and I don't really know why. It's been a little bit of a roller coaster these last few days, what with coming back from the falls and starting a brand-new (to me) insulin (Lantus) and not really knowing if Buzz has CRF or being able to talk to the vet, and I have some personal things going on as well; I think I am just so worried about her that I'm putting all of that anxiety onto this new element of subQ fluids.

I will definitely keep you posted, and thanks for that website, Vicky. It looks great so far! :)
 
hey sarah, if i remember correctly there is something about fluids lower BG levels soooooooooooooo you might want to do some extra monitoring tonight. you're using lantus now right? maybe ask about it in LL ISG just in case my brain is doing the boogiewoogie on me tonight
 
Cindy is right... the fluids can make the BG lower... but I was told that was simply because there is more fluid so the sugars are a lower percentage (type thing). So don't freak out if they are lower than usual, but do monitor in case they go too low. You know what I mean?

Sundance was not a good patient, but we managed the SubQs. I held her in front of me on a towel or in my crossed legs. I made sure she knew I was going to hang on no matter what. And Daniel held the bag up to keep the fluids moving and to turn off the tube when she'd had enough. It's harder if you don't have a second person but many do it. Just make sure the bag is raised.
 
Good to know about the fluids, thank you! We were not successful tonight. The needles are 18 gauge and Buzz was not happy. We will buy some tomorrow at the pharmacy. I chose to hold off tonight because I don't want her first time with this to be a really painful association. If we get smaller needles and she still gets freaky, so be it; we will do what we need to do. I want to have all variables as good as possible though.

I am fortunate to have a wonderful assistant in my fiancé, so it should be easier on us. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. Vic, glad to hear you made it even with a less-than-ideal patient. Those stories are good to hear.

Thank you all!
 
yep, sarah, if you can get 20 gauge terumo needles you'll notice a huge difference. they go in like butter.

i remember how scared i was when i first started giving Cleo subQs, but just think you'll have a great skill now to use when she's feeling punky because of meds or whatever. you just don't give fluids under 8 hrs apart and it's a good idea not to give them right before or after insulin.

heating the fluid bag in hot water from the sink really helps. remember, room temperature fluids are almost 30 degrees colder than your cat's body temperature so the fluids really are cold! i hang my bag from a curtain rod coz the higher up it is the faster the fluids will flow and you can finish. normally i either hold cleo in my lap or in a chair next to me and pet and scritch her chin the whole time so it's a bonding experience.

if you get the prescription from your vet for fluids and for the tubing, you can save a lot of money. for example, my DH has a prescription card from costco so a box of 12 bags of fluids costs us under $24. my vet charged $24 just for sticking the needle in my cat, and for each BAG of fluids! so you save a ton by doing it yourself. just remember, practice makes perfect. it's not going to be as easy at the beginning, but it's well worth it and you'll be helping your cat feel a lot better.
 
How long after giving insulin should you wait to give fluids? And is there any reason that I would need to watch for any adverse side effects? Like if I gave fluids and was going to leave the house in 15 minutes, or go to bed, etc.
 
i tried to give it halfway between shots, like +6. but i'd just try to do it at least 2 hrs before/after shots.
 
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