iv fluids & blown vein

proudwing

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So my 5y.o. cat is dehydrated & had to be administered w/ IV, but his old vet is on vacation. Sub vet failed to find a vein so I took my cat to another clinic where, after a long horrible time for my poor kitty, they were able to locate and place it in his hind leg. It has always been so difficult bc my cat gets extremely anxious when taken to the vet and thrashes about when we try to restrain him.

Was fine til I visited tonight (vet already left, only the vet assistant was there) and find there's swelling on his leg/stomach area.

Could it be that the vein was blown? The IV drip isnt fast but the bandage might be too tight. If its too tight and there's swelling, is it a given that the vein has already blown and my cat isnt getting the fluid he needs? I called the vet but she said there will be swelling but its normal.

:( I live in a country that sucks and you're extremely lucky if you find 1 good vet clinic in your area.

What should I do? :( His old vet doesnt get back until next week, and this is the only okay clinic we found :/
 

red top rescue

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It could be that the vein has blown, in which case he will have to absorb the fluid as if it were a SubQ injection rather than IV.  He will still get it, only slower.  Since your cat thrashes so much, that would probably be the best way to give him fluids anyhow unless he was so dehydrated he was going into shock, in which case a short term tranquilizer/sedative might have been useful to put him under long enough to get some fluids into him IV. I'm not sure what country you are in, or what time zone you are in, but it sounds like it is already night there and the clinic is closed.  If the tech is still there, you might be able to call and check on your cat, but if not, this may be one of those times when all you can do is pray to The Cat Goddess and turn it over, then show up at the clinic as soon as they open and check on him.  Let us know how things turn out.  I'm sorry you are going through this, it's always very upsetting when our fur babies are ill.
 
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proudwing

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So im at the vet rn and they said that since my cat just stayed on one side last night, the fluids will take longer to absorb. They will also transfer the iv on his other leg.

I've never been told that sedative is an option before. Wont that be dangerous if my cat is weak and dehydrated? And this is a new vet so im not sure ..

Thanks for the reply, btw!. I just hope he'll be alright, he needs those fluids. :(
 

red top rescue

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I had a severely injured feral cat (see Grey Boy's Journey below) and they did sedate him -- there was no other way to work on him.  They only kept him under long enough to change the bandages (after the first trip, where they did everything, x-rays, neutering, suturing and bandaging.  He had to go back for bandage changes every 5 days for about 6 weeks.  I'd give him a calming tranquilizer before going to the vet, they would give him a shot in his butt, give it a few minutes to work and then take him into treatment and do what they needed to do and return him to me, still totally out cold.  I live 15 minutes from the vet's office so I would have him home and back in his "bed" before he woke up.  e was weak and debilitated at first but the tranquilizer didn't hurt him and the sedation put him totally out.  Sometimes that's the only way to go.
 
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