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Over the years, the AAFP has encouraged veterinarians to continuously re-evaluate preconceived notions of practice strategies in an effort to advance the quality of feline medicine practiced. The Cat Friendly Practice program is the newest effort created to improve the treatment, handling, and overall healthcare provided to cats. Its purpose is to equip veterinary practices with the tools, resources, and information to elevate the standard of care provided to cats. Find more information at www.catvets.com.
Uhm, I thought that you warm it in a bowl of warm tap water? Wtf w micro water!!! Some helpful tips and I understand that you are experienced but this looks very unhygienic. You also need a sharps container and poke a different spot if you do it every day. Some pets need to be wrapped in a blanket or positioned differently to be more comfortable.
Always put a new needle on immediately after you've finished with the current one, otherwise bacteria can travel up the needle and could cause an infection. I know you can't microwave the bag then but I think there's a danger of it getting too hot and I just warm it with beanbags and test it for heat on my belly (so it doesn't feel warmer or colder).
Do you know which IV fluids I would get if I suspect toxins or MODS and yes I have went to the vet 5 times and still having trouble with convincing them of the problems I’m seeing
Thank you Dr. Scherk!! I didn't think using the Churu would work as well with my cat when administering the fluids, but it did!! I appreciate you so much for sharing this video...can't thank you enough.
I fill a 2 quart pitcher with water that's around 105-110 Fahrenheit for a full bag and the bag fits into it much better. Because the bag takes about half the volume and is around 83F at room temperature right now, the 2 will balance out after 5-10 minutes at around 95F. A cat's body temp is 102.5 so it's a little low but I don't want to risk having it too high. I got a great digital meat Thermometer on Amazon for $9 that I use to measure everything.
I'm supposed to follow lines drawn on the bag but as the bag empties there is much more water in the bag at the bottom, it bulges, but the higher lines dont have as much how do I know what I'm giving or if its right? Do I flatten the bag with my hand so it's equal or what?
Thank you! I have a cat with kidney failure who needs fluids now. My vet is great but this was my 1st time and I was nervous. Your video helped clarify a few things for me and everything went smoothly!
When I was working in a research lab I was taught to never recap used needles. Too much risk of needle sticks. When finished with it, it needs to go directly into a sharps container.
I let the bag sit in a warm water bath in a glass lasagna pan….works great! Just keep the bulb and line out of the bath. I only use warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. I’d be scared to use anything hotter, but testing the heated bag against the inner wrist should be a good way to make sure it’s not too warm. For my cats, room temperature fluids made them fidget more as they felt it as cold on their backs. I like this insertion method very much. Good luck everyone… you can do this!
My cat is not chill at all ! Not even when I cut her nails or brush her ! Shes very spoiled, I have always been gentle with her but my god she’s so naughty! Even at the docs place it took 3 people including me to do this 😢 we do it with a syringe not a bag. It literally takes 2 mins ! I gave her the treat she loves but no ! After I did it once ! She was fine the next min and finished her treat and kissed my nose ! What is her problem? She doesn’t even like to be held for too long, only with me does she stay and then purrs and leaves ! I do everything her way even then.
Great video!! I wish I had the information you shared 18 years ago when my kitty needed sub-q fluids. Love the tips of warming the fluid and balance the fluid on both sides (I just gave my little girl a "camel hump" 😂). 💜
my cat is stage 3 kidney disease. his creatine was 33 and bun 63 on 1/29/24. the vet at u put him on kidney friendly diet, but never told me to gradually put him on his new diet. in 2 days on diet my cat was sick vomiting. so on 2/6/23 i went to another vet and his creatine was 43 and bun 68. the vet gave my cat fluids and said if my cat needs fluids again i would have to go to the ER. then 3 days later on 2/6/24. i went to local vet and his creatine was 44 bun 60. that vet sent home sub q fluids, i gave him 100ml 1/10th of bag every 3 days. on 2/13/24 seven days later, his creatine was 29, bun 47.at vets office then 8 days later on 2/21/24, his creatine was 28 bun 46. i have been giving 1/10th a bag or 100ml every 3 days ever since and on 4/2/24 it was creatine 28 bun 49. on 5/15/24 creatine 30 bun 52. Is 100 ml or 1/10th of bag of iv fluids every 3 days the right dosage. i see you give 150 ml every day. my cat is a male 10 lbs. i am very thankful the 3rd vet sent home iv fluids, and put him on iv fluids, something the u or 2nd vet didnt do!
i like the idrea holding needle in place and pulling the skin. many times i put needle in and kitty got mad because hurting him. and then no liquid was coming out so had to do it again.. it was terrible when that happens. Now i know to rotate needle when fluid is not coming out... also notice the fluids building up. now now i know to pull needle out a little and go in opposite direction...
I’ve been told the feeling of cold liquid under your skin feels gross. Like bad or out of place. My vet said making it room temp or skin temp is more comfortable and easier to inject. I’m sure it has something to do with the science behind the thickness of the liquid too.
We're still newbies at this. We give our cat Brandy fluids once a week, so have only done it 3 times so far. I've seen that about drawing the skin towards the needle, instead of pushing the needle, and always forget to try it to see if it makes it easier. I noticed that the fluid was running very slowly the first time. It was taking like maybe 10 minutes, and we gave up after about 5. The 2nd time though, I had seen something online about moving the line closing aparatus, because the line can get a kink in it. So I closed the other one, further up the line so I could move the one with the roller, and yep, when I moved it, I saw a kink where it had been. You just have to squeeze the 2 edges together until the line is round again instead of flat. I always put a new needle on after, because they say contamination can make its way back into the fluids. Another thing our vet showed us, was to "bleed" the line first, to get bubbles out, as they can cause some discomfort (although not dangerous). I do this each time. It only takes a few seconds. We don't warm the fluids any. Our cat is a peach though. Maybe if we had a problem kitty we would try warming first, to see if that helped.
My cat has stage 4 kidney disease and we need to give him fluid, but he won't eat anymore. Distracting him with treats isn't working, how can I keep him still?
This is what worked for me... my cat is not food motivated and will only eat one brand of dry kibble. I use the syringe and butterfly method... not the saline bag with the long tubing. Call your vet and set up an appt with a vet tech... get them to show you how to to it on your cat. I also wrap my cat in a towel that has been warmed in the dryer. And I warm up the saline by putting it in a bowl of hot water for 10 min. (Test water temp on your own forearmbefore giving to your cat.) My cat was really squirmy... but this helped to calm her. With the syringe method... you can put the plunger base on the counter and wrap your hand around the barrel, then push the barrel down to the counter... to push the fluids into your cat. Make sure you are holding the butterfly needle secure along with some of your cats fur. It will be uncomfortable for them but it will be over in less than a minute. You are not asking them to sit there (quietly) for 10 min while the saline bag drips. As for food.... it's more important that your cat eats something/anything as opposed to trying to get him to eat KD foods. Lack of food will keep him dehydrated and he'll also get constipation. Keep trying his favorites. I tried "Hatrz Bisque Delectables" food toppers in a pouch (from Walmart) and add water and Restoralax (to help with constipation because of dehydration). My cat will drink this after her regular dry kibble. It took me 6 weeks of trying different food brands, textures, and flavours... before finding our current combo. Some feedback.... as hard as it is for both of you... subcutaneous fluids are the way to extend your cats life comfortably. My cat was diagnosed, out of the blue, 11 months after a healthy check up, no signs or symptoms... with stage 3 KD and give 1-2 years to live based on how quickly it progressed without any signs. Just today... after 4 months of 100cc of subcutaneous fluids, 3 times a week... I had her bloodwork retested. Her values went DOWN by HALF! Creatinine was 360, now 175... Urea was 25, now 10 and in the normal range. She has been downgraded from stage 3 to stage 2... and vet said if things continue like this... she could live 5 more years. Sending you and your cat love and prayers❤❤❤
@@mycreativeheart4159 Thank you very much for this info. I did ask about giving fluids like you suggested when I spoke to the vet and they said a bag would be better, not sure why. I think this method would work best for us as there is no way to keep him still for 10-15min. Our cat also has megacolon which is complicating matters as another major condition we need to manage. He is on Mirataz for 2 weeks to help with his appetite, which seems to be working, although he seems to have gone off water completely. We add lots to his wet food, so he's getting some fluids in. However, I'm concerned once we stop using the Mirataz, that we'll go back to no appetite. We are also giving him Cerenia to try and combat any nausea he might be feeling. I'm utterly heartbroken to see my boy declining like this :-(
I was surprised to hear the vet say that it was all right to let the cat explore the exam room if they so choose. I would have tried to prevent the cat from escaping the carrier.
Thanks for the concise demonstration! I have had trouble from time to time with fluids stopping flow. I tried to move the needle out or sideways and boom-it came out and we all got wet. So frustrating. Not good. I'll try rotating it, for some reason I never thought of that. It IS hard doing it with a confused cat (new to fluids) and no helper to distract the kitty. More than about 30 seconds is a challenge. Also sick cats don't always want a treat, they just want to go back to bed. I do use an instant read thermometer in the water basin used to warm the fluids bag, too hot is a risk.
I'm right there with you! I SO wish I had a helper and that my cat was treat motivated. I don't want to ruin the bond we have during her last months on Earth. I'm going to see how this goes and hopefully it gets better. She winces and moves away from me now. I haven't seen any videos to address that part of it all.
Thank you so much! My Bugsy is nearly 20, and we are hoping this will help him stay more comfortable. They showed me how to do it at the vet’s office, but they weren’t clear about a couple of things, so thankfully, you answered those questions. I’m warming the bag in my lap as I’m rewatching this video. Then, we will be attempting it on our own 😬 🤞🏻. I’ll make sure Bugsy gets some lick treats before next time, too! I think my only worry is if he does end up taking fluids every day, will scar tissue start to build up in the poke place? I’ve worked with animals who got insulin injections, and that was the case. Ps Nimitz is adorable 😻
Teflon coated needle makes me worry about PFAS and heating plastic bag in a microwave or in a boiling water also cause release of toxins in the plastic bags into the fluid. I am a little wary of heating fluids in plastic bags. The amount of trash generated from this necessary procedures is troubling, while convenient, and I wish I would reuse disinfect and reuse needles at home or at least return the needles for sanitation and reuse.
I was thinking the SAME exact thing when she said to put it in the microwave. Not only releasing plastic into the fluid, but it’s been documented that microwaved water fed to plants killed them.
Your video helped me enormously. I very much appreciate it. The vet tech never mentioned heating the fluid bolus OR that type of treat, which our cat loves. 👃
My cats use their carrier regularly as their own space. They sleep there regularly - when not on our bed - and think of it as their own den . I also always cover the carriers - that get seated with pheromones ( Feliway or Sentry ) shortly before - with a cloth or cat blanket when they get out of the house, to minimize their stress . My kitties are now in their late teens and two are in their early twenties ( one is almost 24!) - their stress was always an important concern , minimizing it is crucial to avoid age- related issues especially during vet visits ( I.e. hypertension and its sequel of problems, including sudden blindness) . My cats enjoy listening to soft /classical music too, both at home and in the car, and some practices use it as well - who said that it is only relaxing for humans -)
Our vet gave us 18 - 1A needles but non-teflon. We are going to CVS later today to see if 1) prescription is needed 2) do they carry teflon ones. I'll try to post what I learn under this comment.
Thank you! I've viewed lots of videos. None of them showed how to set up the bag initially. The first bag was set up by my vet, this time I was on my own. Thank you for your clear explanation! ❤
Thank you so much!! My husband and I are new to this. Last time didn’t go so smoothly. Tonight was a breeze thanks to this video!! I especially loved the tips about warming the bag and pulling the skin back over the needle. Our kitty appreciated our improved technique! 😻
Thank you so much for explaining how everything connects, and showing how to easily pull the skin over the needle. That was the scariest part, but with your help, it was easy!!! Thank you thank you! God bless you.
A different technique is to leave the old needle connected, and put the sheath on it. When you go for next treatment, remove and put on a new needle. You know to always discard what you find on the line.
Unfortunately I have a very underweight cat and I'm alone. I don't have anyone to give a treat, she's refusing to eat and drink currently, and my cat certainly doesn't come running to be poked with a needle. This is ridiculous. I'm sorry I have a cat that's hanging by a thread and this is just not helpful to me.
I am sorry about the condition of your kitty, but otherwise the directions are fine. You need an assistant to help you - that is the only difference. No video is going to give you a way around that fact.
@@donmoore7785 Obviously it's better to have two people. My point was the view of the video that it's sc easy. Doesn't matter, because my kitty died not long after I posted this.
