It’s become impossible to give subq at home

[0kxh09]

My boyfriends 12 year old cat, Vivi, has recently been diagnosed with stage 3 CKD. The doctor first instructed us to do 100ml subq every other day for a week, which she tolerated very well. After her first weekly check-up, he told us that we needed to do the subq daily. It’s become a nightmare.

In the span of the week, we were only able to get it done 4 times. No amount of strength or type of restraint can keep her from twisting and scratching and hissing and so on. We already split the 100ml to 50ml in the morning and 50ml at night but that hasn’t helped, either. It feels like we’ve watched every YouTube video, have read every post, and we’re still loosing this battle.

We had the vet give her the subq yesterday, but we’re both students and this is not something we can afford long term for her at $300 a month (which comes to $600 when factoring in the round trip taxi).

My boyfriend is very upset about the thought of having to put her down because of our inability to get her to cooperate.

Please any sort of advice or tips or just anything would be really helpful at the moment. Thank you so much.

 

[Docs Mom]

Sharper needles...! They are called Terumo and available on line.

Also change the location of your set up so the cat doesn't link the new location with all the struggle...

Maybe try when kitty is sleepy after a meal ?
Go back to ever other day ? Explain to your vet the problems that EVERY day is causing. It is stressing you guys and frightening the kitty.

Ultimately there are some cats, that just will NOT tolerate the process....

Best wishes that the process smooths out for you guys.

 

[di and bob]

As with anything new with a cat, it just takes a LOT of repetition and time to get them used to it. Many cats are usually too sick to fight it. Like said above, a sharper needle would help, as would maybe trying to do it while she is eating, or giving her something really yummy like a lickable treat right after you have it inserted. The reason for the sub q is dehydration, if you can get her to drink enough you won't need to do it. Set many small bowls of water around so she 'discovers' them and she may drink while she is there. If you can get her to drink more, the sub q's will stop. Give her lots of wet food with added water, get some pouches of cat food with extra gravy, offer broths with low salt, and get a fountain that fascinates most cats and they drink more, after being afraid of it at first. I pray you to find a solution. when she starts feeling better, she may drink more too, try to remember, this isn't forever.......

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Are you warming the fluids before giving them? Hanging them up high so they go in fairly fast? I also warmed up a big fluffy towel in the dryer while I was warming the fluids and wrapped my old girl up in the warm towel as she was getting the warm fluids. Are you inserting the needle into different spots each time? Always into the scruff, but slightly different areas of it? Otherwise she may be developing sores if it's the exact same spot.

If you are having such a hard time,you might call around to some Vet offices near you and see if anyone lives in your neighborhood and would want to earn a few extra buck and come over and do it for you. Often Vet Techs will do it for cheap, especially if it's on their way to or from work. And cats normally cooperate with strangers better than with us. (Covid might be an issue though).

 

[di and bob]

I agree with the above, cold fluid would really make her hate it too....

 

[LTS3]

There are sub q tips here: Subcutaneous Fluids – IBDKitties

 

[Gizm0]

When I gave subq fluids to my cat the needles they gave me (18g?) were way too big, and my cat hated them. They hurt him so bad and he would flinch and try to get away. Switching to smaller ones helped a lot, and most of the time he didn't even notice when I stuck him. I either used 21g or 22g, but its up to you. I don't know if there is a limit to which gauge you can use, but I'd definitely use under 25g or it may take too long to get fluids in.

I found someone mention thrivingpets on here a while ago and that's where I bought mine.
Search results for: 'needles'

 

[ClayirPann]

Some fluids also "sting" and cause discomfort. When I had to change vets, the new one switched my kidney cat to a slightly more expensive type of fluid because it was more comfortable for cats. And I always warmed the bag of fluids too; cat's body temperature is higher than ours and room temp water under your skin wouldn't feel good!

 

[kittenmittens84]

When I had to give my cat subQ injections, I’d set everything up and then put his soft cone (we used a comfy cone) on immediately before the shot and put a piece of roast turkey on the side of the cone lol. Wearing the cone made him think he couldn’t really move so he couldn’t get angry and jerk away, and the turkey distracted him while I actually stuck the needle in.