I'm going to be administering subcutaneous fluids to our cat. Advice?

[Anonymous]

I've been bringing our cat to the vet several times a week and it's just too much what with kids, etc. I know lots of people do this at home. I was scared too but having dealt with the hassle and the expense, I'm ready to start doing it at home. I got a primer from the vet. Anyone BTDT with advice to share???

[Anonymous]

At the hardware store, in the fireplace supplies section, they sell heavy duty gloves with leather that goes all the way to the elbows.

[Anonymous]

I can see why the fireplace gloves would be called for, but wouldn't that make it hard to inject/handle a needle?

[Anonymous]

Don't you just lift up the skin on the nape of the neck and inject it there? Why the gloves?

[Anonymous]

Nails, biting = serious infection. You can also buy groomer's mitts onlin at most pet companies. I wouldn't even try bathing my cats without gloves on.

[Anonymous]

What part of the body do the fluids need to be administered to? I would wrap the cat in a blanket so he is temporarily confined, exposing the necessary area but keeping angry paws contained.

Its probably a 2 person job, especially when you are learning to do it.

Needle in, push in fluids, release cat. That way you won't get scratched and the cat will stay still so he won't get hurt. Of course, you should do this quickly to minimise upset.

[Anonymous]

My cat , who was not ordinarily a biter or scratcher, would just sit there on my lap. It's harder than you would think to get the needle through the skin, but you get the hang of it with practice. My cat would shiver unless I warmed the bag in warm water in the sink. I felt bad about the shivering, so I warmed the fluid. That takes a while.

[Anonymous]

My cat did not even notice it. I would do it when she was on my lap. It's not really painful for them. You do it in their nape where the skin is loose. You are not looking for a vein so there is nothing painful about it.

Good luck OP.

[Anonymous]

Oh the only other thing is you might put a couple of towels down in case the fluid leaks out or you need to do a couple of sticks. It can get a little wet.

[Anonymous]

Two people, at least at the beginning. I put down a ton of treats, and my old kitty would be content with those for a while. We hung the bag on a kitchen cabinet. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

It is definitely easier to do at home.
Tips.
I usually do it in the bathroom--confined and calm.
Set up everything first--fluids hanging and warmed (if desired), new needle on, fluid all primed.

Some cats are fine with it, but others need a little distraction. Consider offering a bowl of their favorite food.

My approach was to sit the kitty in a corner of the bathroom (head toward corner, with food if needed), and then for me to sit down behind the kitty, legs on either side of the kitty. Then hold flap of skin, needle, start flow.

One person job, a few minutes.

If you have a friend who's done it all before, or if you can hire a vet tech to give you a hand the first time, you'll feel better. But it really is doable!

[Anonymous]

We did it for a year and a half. We always had two people. My husband held the cat while I did the fluids. Our cat was pretty good about it. He didn't like it but he didn't fight us like some cats would. If yours is a fighter, BBQ or fireplace gloves and maybe goggles to protect the eyes. It isn't difficult to do, keeping the cat still is the difficult part.

[Anonymous]

Depends on your cat. Mine was very chill and used to sitting on my lap. I got one of those 3M removable sticky hooks and put it on the wall above my couch, then hung the fluid bag from that. Then I'd sit on the couch with the cat in my lap and put the needle under his neck skin.

If your cat wouldn't normally sit on your lap, maybe it's a 2 person job? One to sit and insert the needle, and one to hold/calm the cat.

[Anonymous]

I have done it to 2 cats. Don't get the gloves. You will freak out the cat. You sat calm. It will stay calm.

[Anonymous]

How long does it take for the fluid to go in?
Isn't it daunting to get your cat to sit in one place for a length of time? My parents did this with their cat - he handled it well, but he was a mellow old kitty.
For them it was a two-person job (they were both in their 60s at the time).