Subcutaneous Iv Fluids For Cats

Subcutaneous means beneath the skin and subcutaneous fluids are sodium potassium calcium and other electrolytes that are injected below a cat or dogs coat to rehydrate themjust like gatorade rehydrates an athlete. Fluid replacement can be accomplished by your veterinary clinic staff with iv intravenous fluids almost always followed by subcutaneous fluids at home. Although it may sound frightening at first done properly giving sub q fluids isnt all that bad and your cat will feel so much better afterward that its well worth learning how.
subcutaneous iv fluids for cats

Administering supplemental fluids can benefit cats with a variety of medical conditions.

Subcutaneous iv fluids for cats. What are subcutaneous or sub q fluids. This is a very useful way of providing additional fluids to cats and helping to manage and prevent dehydration. Subcutaneous sq fluid administration is the term used to describe giving fluids into the space under the skin subcutaneous tissue from where it can be slowly absorbed into the blood and body. Cats need subcutaneous fluids when they are too sick to drink on their own such as when they have serious kidney disease liver disease or cancer.

Most commonly home fluid therapy is recommended for cats with kidney disease or chronic renal failure crf. Subcutaneous fluids are given under the skin. If your cat requires a feeding tube he can also receive fluids through it. Without subcutaneous fluids a sick cat could become very dehydrated making it feel even worse.

The needle is usually inserted into the scruff of your cats neck. Subcutaneous fluids dont move through your cats body as quickly as iv fluids. If your cat is diagnosed with a condition that will benefit from fluid therapy your veterinarian can teach you to perform this simple procedure. If your cat needs subcutaneous fluids you will need to learn how to set up the fluid bag insert a needle under your cats skin and let the fluid flow.