:love: Woo Hoo Michael is coming home.. That is great news.. Hope you feels much better Michael.. Huggss & Prayers
Quote:
Originally Posted by cassiesmom
:love: Woo Hoo Michael is coming home.. That is great news.. Hope you feels much better Michael.. Huggss & Prayers
Quote:
Originally Posted by cassiesmom
I called Our Vets and in the background I could hear Michael, the Pampered Dream Cat:love::love: howling for his dinner!!!:cool::cool:
He was so quiet and still when Our Vet assistant picked him up, I thopught tat I would never see him again:eek::eek:
Hes on his way with K/R Chicken Cat Food , Appetite Enhancers and Fluids to be given orally so he stays hydrated:):)
For as long as Michael has , be it six weeks or six moths, he is going to be Spoiled.
He is worth every cent of his Vet Bill and MORE:love::love:
Gary, will you be giving Michael subcutaneous fluids at home?
We are going to see how Micheal does , but there is a good chance that I will have to give My Dream Cat fluids under the skin.
I have questions , is that difficult and I hate to ask , will this be expensive:love::love:
I hate to put a price tag on things, especially Mr Purr and I will pay the price.
Michael is worth too much for me to to help My Owesome Orange Cat.:love::love::love:
Gary, I've given fluids to various cats of mine over the years. Presently Sydney and Bob are getting them.
It isn't that hard to do, but it does take a little practice at first. Basically, you pick up a little "tent" of skin around the scruff of the neck and insert the needle from the fluid bag parallel to the cat's body. Your vet's staff will show you what to do and have you try it and get it right.
I did a GoodSearch search on "administering subcutaneous fluids to cat" to see if I could find a clear, hopefully illustrated description of the process. I got LOADS of links!
Here's one with step-by-step instructions and photographs: http://www.felinecrf.com/managh.htm
And here's a YouTube demonstration by a vet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4Ta537YEOU
Here's another YouTube demo, from Cornell's vet school: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LSppGcrQ3Y
There are plenty of other links for instructions, too.
Don't be nervous or shy. I am the original Nervous Nellie when I have to attempt anything mildly complex and possibly painful for the recipient..and I learned to do it!.. so you can too, Gary.
Is it expensive? Well, there is some cost involved, but it's worth doing because it could extend Michael's life and comfort level .. The fluid bags and needles are MUCH less expensive if you buy them in bulk. I get a box of 100 needles or a case of 12 bags of fluids at a time from the vet, which is much cheaper than just buying a few.
When I was first giving fluids, about 25 years ago, I'd get a bag or two at a time for something like $12 each from the vet.. until I found out that I could get a whole CASE of 12 bags through him for about $35!
And according to some of the web sites, these supplies are available for even less money in bulk from Costco and other large discount warehouse stores.
I tried to find these at Costco Canada online, but I couldn't. So, here are the nearest Costcos to you:
1 Ancaster (5.93 km)
100 Legend Court
Ancaster ON L9K 1J3
(905) 304-0344
2 Burlington (10.64 km)
1225 Brant Street
Burlington ON L7P 1X7
(905) 336-6714
I hope this helps! You and Michael will spend some real quality time together doing this.
Pat
Thank You so much Friend Pat.
:love::love:
I did not realize that Bob and Scrappy Twos Fellow Sydney:love: were getting fluids:D
I am going to talk to Michael's regular Vet when he comes back and set something up.:)
Does it take long to give Bob and Sydney their drips and do you have trouble keeping them still while doing this?:confused:
It doesn't take long, maybe 10 or 15 minutes in all. First I put the fluid bag in some warm water in the bathroom sink for a few minutes to get the fluid closer to body temperature. Then I put the bag up high.. I have a coat hanger on the shower-curtain rod that I hang it from.Quote:
Originally Posted by catmandu
Then I get the first one (usually Sydney). Either I hold him on my lap, or, he has a bed on the floor there and sometimes he stays in that. He might move around a little while I get him into an easy position to hold on to. Then I lift the skin for the tent and put the needle in, then open the fluid line. He just relaxes as the fluid flows in. We're done in maybe a minute or two, and I pull the needle out and set him down on the floor. I change the needle for a new one, then go get Bob. He likes to lie on his side on my lap, so I get him in the best position, make the tent, and insert the needle. He relaxes too as the fluid flows into him. In fact, he also is usually doing his silent purring!.. I can't hear it but I can feel him rumbling. Then he's done, and I unfasten him and put him down or else take him back to where he'd been before the fluids.
Sydney is going on 15 years of age, and Bob is 10 years old. Neither cat's kidneys are performing quite as efficiently as they had in the past, so that's why the boys are getting the fluids. Sydney gets 100ml every day, and Bob gets 100ml 3 out of 4 days running.