Learned to give SubQs today.

luvmy2cats

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Popsie is going to get fluid therapy now for CRF so I took him to the vet so I can learn to give it to him. It was really easy, although the tech had me insert the needle, I did good but started shaking bad after. Popsie wasn't too happy with the treatment. I hope he does better in the comfort of home. Toward the end he was squirming trying to get away. So, everything went well, I suppose it could have been a lot worse. Does anyone want to tell their first SubQ experience?
 

sportbikemike

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I gave my tomcat Bubba SubQ fluids for three months last year after he was diagnosed with CRF. I forgot the exact dosage but I gave him the injections twice a week. Seems like the process usually took 10-15 minutes depending on how well the fluids were flowing. It wasn't too bad at all....and I really saw some improvements especially in his energy level, although he never gained the weight back. I would have continued to give him the fluids indefinitely if that meant he would still be here with me.....but unfortunately his condition worsened after 3 months and he passed on...even after I tried giving him extra fluids. I have heard of cats living years taking SubQ fluids though. I wish you the best of luck and hope the SubQ fluids help your cat live a longer life.
 
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luvmy2cats

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Originally Posted by SportBikeMike

I gave my tomcat Bubba SubQ fluids for three months last year after he was diagnosed with CRF. I forgot the exact dosage but I gave him the injections twice a week. Seems like the process usually took 10-15 minutes depending on how well the fluids were flowing. It wasn't too bad at all....and I really saw some improvements especially in his energy level, although he never gained the weight back. I would have continued to give him the fluids indefinitely if that meant he would still be here with me.....but unfortunately his condition worsened after 3 months and he passed on...even after I tried giving him extra fluids. I have heard of cats living years taking SubQ fluids though. I wish you the best of luck and hope the SubQ fluids help your cat live a longer life.
Thank you so much.
I'm sorry you lost your dear one.
The vet instructed me to give Popsie 100ml everyday. I think that' a bit excesive though.
 

mews2much

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I had a hard time with Stripe. She would get so mean when the needles went in. I had to take her to the Vet because of that all the time. At least you can do it yourself. I never tried giving Stripe Sub Q because of how mean she got. Good Luck with your Cat.
 

aileen06

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My daughter was supposed to give Rebby his fluids and I would hold him. She had the vet teach her but when it came to actually giving them, she tried and tried but she was just too squeamish and too afraid of hurting him to do it herself. Finally after her poking him a few times and the needle falling out, I just took the needle from her and poked him once and that was it no problem. So from then on I was the lucky one who got to stick him with the needle. It was either that or pay the vet tech 20 dollars a shot to come to the house and do it. Once you get used to it it's very easy. Lucky Rebby was an easy going cat who was very trusting and let you do anything to him because he knew you weren't trying to hurt him so he would just sit there and let me poke him. It's much easier to do it with 2 people one holding and one poking. Another tip is my vet gave us this thing you would put the bag in and pump it up and it would apply pressure to the bag so the fluids went in faster because as the bag gets empty it takes longer for the fluids to go through. Another thing we did was get one of those stick on hooks to hang the bag from. I'm sure you and Popsie will do fine once you both get used to it. Good luck! By the way I love your new siggy!
 

mews2much

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I was going every other day with Stripe to the Vet and it was 25 for each Sub Q. She also got a Winstrol Shot every 2 weeks ad Pricrit Shot once a week.
 

sharky

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Kandie took two techs the vet and myself to get fluids ... so it was a vet visit for us
 

pat

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I honestly don't remember the specifics of my first time, but I do remember being so grateful that Patrick was so good about it.

I had a routine I developed with him...I had a cup hook on the side of a cabinet next to my kitchen sink. I'd clear the counter, warm the fluids by submerging the iv bag in a pot of very warm water for 10 minutes (being careful to keep any rubber ports out of the water), then flushing the cooler liquid out of the line until I felt warm fluid on my hand.

I'd hang the iv bag, have Patrick on a towel or his favorite bed, and begin his sub-q...it would only take a few minutes, and when we were done, I'd give him a treat often of a bit of baby food. I of course, gave him lots of kisses, and talked to him throughout..my cats are used to me chattering, so I'd like to think it's comforting


Congratulations on learning how to do sub-q's!

ps I did find Patrick was much happier when I switched to Teruma brand ultra thin wall needles - insert much easier, was much more comfortable for Patrick.
 
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luvmy2cats

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

I honestly don't remember the specifics of my first time, but I do remember being so grateful that Patrick was so good about it.

I had a routine I developed with him...I had a cup hook on the side of a cabinet next to my kitchen sink. I'd clear the counter, warm the fluids by submerging the iv bag in a pot of very warm water for 10 minutes (being careful to keep any rubber ports out of the water), then flushing the cooler liquid out of the line until I felt warm fluid on my hand.

I'd hang the iv bag, have Patrick on a towel or his favorite bed, and begin his sub-q...it would only take a few minutes, and when we were done, I'd give him a treat often of a bit of baby food. I of course, gave him lots of kisses, and talked to him throughout..my cats are used to me chattering, so I'd like to think it's comforting


Congratulations on learning how to do sub-q's!

ps I did find Patrick was much happier when I switched to Teruma brand ultra thin wall needles - insert much easier, was much more comfortable for Patrick.
Yes, Pookie Poo told me the Teruma brand are much sharper.
 

kittymonsters

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I am sorry to read that Popsie has become a member of the CRF club. My Zoe was just diagnosed in April. I give her 100 ml of fluids every day. We tried every day without Calcitriol and her numbers didn't go down. Added the Calcitriol and she went to a BUN in the 40's and Creat at 2.6.

We tried giving the fluids every other day with the Calcitriol but her numbers went back up. So for Zoe it is 100ml fluids and Calcitriol daily. So far her Phosphorus, Calcium and Potassium are all good.

The first night of giving fluids I thought I was going to vomit. I live alone so have no help. Zoe is a good girl though. The terumo utw 20 gauge needles are great. I have noticed that if the fluids are not warm enough she get cranky and fidgety.

We now have our routine. I sit on the toilet seat with the fluid bag hanging from the shower rod. Zoe has decided the bathroom is her kingdom now and she sits on the toilet shortly before it is time for her fluids. She knows the routine. I get her special blanket and put it on my lap. She lays down and starts purring. She is usually kneading the air the entire time. I think she knows they make her feel better.

Sending lots of for you and Popsie.
 

wingss2fly

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The water is cold and I think it hurts them/bothers them. The needle I had was big & I know it hurt, cuz I missed the cat one time and stuck my finger. I did it for about 8 months, until it got to be an out and out fight to give her the treatment. So 10 months later she crossed the bridge to play in the sun.
My Mamma Kitty my heart.
 

saundby

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Our first experience treating Zyelena went poorly. She was my wife's baby, so my wife was going to be the one to stick her. Also, whenever I was the one who did something uncomfortable to Zyelena she'd avoid me for days, whereas if my wife did the same or worse, Zyelena would shrug it off.

My wife got very uncomfortable about the needle, and her nervousness spread to Zyelena. Pretty soon my wife was a frazzle, the cat was hysterical, the needle was blunt and not in the cat though she'd been poked repeatedly, there was a puddle of water that had run down the cat's side when the needle had been poked in and back out through the skin again.

Well, I sent the two of them off to gather themselves while I put on a fresh needle and, after feeling the water bag and finding it cold, warmed the water bag in a sink of warm water. When we tried again, I did the poking while my wife pet Zyelena and spoke to her. It went much better that way. The cat came out funny-looking with a big bulge of water, but calm.

After that my wife was able to use the needle herself a few times when I wasn't around, but it never went as smoothly as when I did it, even when I was alone, so I ended up being the designated needle-poker.

We set up shop in the laundry room where we could keep the other curious cats away, handle water, and have room for both of us. We'd put a towel on the washing machine, warm the water bag in the sink, and hang it from a line I ran through an eye hook I put in the ceiling for the purpose. (At first we hung the bag from a hanger rod nearby, but it was awkwardly placed so I put in the eye.)

At about the second week of treatments Zyelena was quite calm about it. She never responded as strongly as we expected outside the first failed attempt, though she'd try to get away if she thought there was an opening in the first week or so. She never went off and hid after the job was done, though.

It was unpleasant to have to do it, but the results were certainly worthwhile. She had two, possibly three cancers that were working at her all this while. They eventually got her, but she would have gone a lot sooner without regular subcutaneous hydration.
 

pat

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Originally Posted by kittymonsters

Zoe has decided the bathroom is her kingdom now and she sits on the toilet shortly before it is time for her fluids. She knows the routine. I get her special blanket and put it on my lap. She lays down and starts purring. She is usually kneading the air the entire time. I think she knows they make her feel better.
Aren't cats amazing??
 

abbycats

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My husband and I both went to vet for lesson in subq. My husband was the one who took on the job for our cat Mort. I held her while he inserted the neddle and monitored the bag. We kept her alive for almost a year by doing Subq's. Mort did really good and knew we were trying to help her.
 

mlynn

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I'm glad you learned how to do sub-Q's. There much easier to give then intravenous fluids and take much less time and can be useful for a lot of things...for example if you ever find a stray cat or kitten (or other animal) who is dehydrated...you will be well prepared.

I have been doing sub-q's for quite a while on my rescue animals (pets and wildlife) and it really gives them a better chance at survival then plain hydration with a syringe. Most of the sick orphans I have nursed have purked up and survived because of the sub-q fluids.
 

pookie-poo

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I've been doing subQ's on Cleo for so long now, that I don't even remember the first one! Cleo gets them twice a week, Wednesday and Sunday. She knows the routine. She starts to tease me when she thinks it's time for her fluids. As soon as I get out the big Pyrex bowl, she trots off to the bathroom to wait for them to warm. I give her treats (a tablespoon of dry KD...she loves it, but she's supposed to only eat wet food.) She lays on my lap and purrs through the whole process. I've been doing subQ's on Cleo for at least 5 years, maybe a little longer.

When Spooky was so ill with hepatic lipidosis, I had to do subQ's...ohmygod...it was awful. I was so scared of hurting her. She had dropped down to just about 4 pounds. That was when I first learned how to do them. She was so weak that she couldn't fight if she had wanted to. It was before I knew about warming the fluids or those WONDERFUL Terumo needles!

I also did subQ fluids on my parent's cat, Samson, after he was diagnosed with CRF. He was a nasty cat, and when I first started doing them, I wore long sleeved shirts and leather gloves, to keep from being bitten or scratched. He did bite me once, and put me in the hospital with really bad cellulitis in my arm. I did subQ's for 4+ years, and Epogen shots for a year, before he finally passed away from anemia caused by his CRF.

Good luck! It does get easier with practice. If you reward Popsie with a little treat, he might just come to enjoy it like Cleo does!
 
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luvmy2cats

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Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

I've been doing subQ's on Cleo for so long now, that I don't even remember the first one! Cleo gets them twice a week, Wednesday and Sunday. She knows the routine. She starts to tease me when she thinks it's time for her fluids. As soon as I get out the big Pyrex bowl, she trots off to the bathroom to wait for them to warm. I give her treats (a tablespoon of dry KD...she loves it, but she's supposed to only eat wet food.) She lays on my lap and purrs through the whole process. I've been doing subQ's on Cleo for at least 5 years, maybe a little longer.

When Spooky was so ill with hepatic lipidosis, I had to do subQ's...ohmygod...it was awful. I was so scared of hurting her. She had dropped down to just about 4 pounds. That was when I first learned how to do them. She was so weak that she couldn't fight if she had wanted to. It was before I knew about warming the fluids or those WONDERFUL Terumo needles!

I also did subQ fluids on my parent's cat, Samson, after he was diagnosed with CRF. He was a nasty cat, and when I first started doing them, I wore long sleeved shirts and leather gloves, to keep from being bitten or scratched. He did bite me once, and put me in the hospital with really bad cellulitis in my arm. I did subQ's for 4+ years, and Epogen shots for a year, before he finally passed away from anemia caused by his CRF.

Good luck! It does get easier with practice. If you reward Popsie with a little treat, he might just come to enjoy it like Cleo does!
Popsie is a pretty good boy so I don't think I'll have to much trouble.
 
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