How to Give a Cat Subcutaneous Fluids at Home

Pet Care Veterinary Hospital's Dr. Jill D. Partlow along with Veterinary Assistant Shelia Phillips demonstrate the proper method of giving a cat subcutaneous fluids. Fluid given under the skin (subcutaneously) is absorbed into the blood stream and can be used to correct or prevent dehydration. Cats with chronic kidney disease may not feel well enough to drink the amount of water needed to prevent dehydration. Your veterinarian Fluid given under the skin, subcutaneously (SQ), is absorbed into the blood stream and can be used to correct or prevent dehydration. The most frequent disease for which fluids are given is chronic kidney failure. Cats with chronic kidney failure pass large amounts of urine and may not feel well enough to drink. Your veterinarian may have you give subcutaneous fluids a few times a week to supplement the water the cat is drinking in order to prevent dehydration and help flush waste products through the kidneys.

Category:

Pets & Animals

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• pcFluid
• WMV9
• 480x360

[smorten50]

Thank you for this great video! I hope you'll consider making another showing this being done by one person, as many of us have to do this by ourselves. Our vet suggested warming the water bag first, which has made a HUGE difference! We do that by putting the bag straight up into a pitcher full of hot water for about 5-10 minutes. Before injecting, open the flow and run the fluid until warm water comes out, which can be somewhat hotter than human body temp (not just lukewarm). Good luck to all!

[petcareveterinary]

@smorten50

Hi! Thank you for your great comments! We are currently working on more videos and do appreciate your suggestion about showing how one person can give fluids with ease. We have added that to our list but put it at the top!!

[83bklyn]

Very clear and non complicated/

[petcareveterinary]

@83bklyn Thank you. That's what we were hoping to do!!

[Jan96106]

We have now finished two bags of fluids, and I'm getting to be an old hand at this. I wish I had tried this on my other cat who died of kidney disease. His kidney values were terrible, so my vet offered me two options: hospitalization or death, and they suggested it was likely the fluids given during hospitalization wouldn't work. I wish they would have let me try fluids at home. Even if that hadn't worked, at least I would know I tried everything. Now I will always wonder.

[Jan96106]

s/b has not had

[Jan96106]

I must also add that this treatment seems to be working. Her appetite had returned and she has perked up.

[Jan96106]

I've done the fluids five days in a row now, so I'm getting better at it. I gave up trying to read the bag. Instead, I time how long to leave the needle in her. I had to work up to the amount the vet told me to give her. As soon as she starts feeling the pressure of the fluid build-up, she tries to pull away to pull the needle out. I think I finally gave her the full dosage today. However, tempting her with food no longer works. She sees the bowl and runs. She knows what's coming.

[Jan96106]

S/B she's not she in my last post.

[Jan96106]

I did it fine at the vet's but I'm having a bit of trouble at home. It is hard for me to tell how much fluid I'm getting in her. It's hard to read the bag and hold her at the same time, and the area around her is wet when I'm through. She also flops on her side to try to pull the needle out. She didn't cry the first couple times, but now she cries when I poke the gigantic needle in. She old and thin and has no fat padding, so I feel I'm soon going to run out of places to poke her.

[kfork3]

Thank you for this video! I hope more will be coming. I live in NYC and it's difficult to take my cat to the vet and he needs fluids from time to time. I have the equipment, but needed this video to put me at ease using it.

[mac420ization]

Thank you very much for your demonstration. I have to start doing this for my elderly cat tomorrow and i was nervous about doing this treatment . After seeing your video, i feel i can do this with no worry.Happy Holidays.

[SuperAntispammer]

Thanks...but what about if they leave wants to leave the table.

[whiteme1]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for doing this video. I had to give fluids to my cat and the first time was awful. Then I watched this video and it was a breeze two days in a row now. The idea of giving her treats really helped! And definitely seeing exactly how you put the needle in. Thank you again!