IV feeding at home...........eek!

[yorkster]

My kitty (Kedi, 8 yr. old with a bad heart) was just yesterday diagnosed with a UTI. Between the 2 health problems he has lost quite a bit of weight (4 lbs. total since about March ).
The vet has said that he is dehydrated and severely underweight and needs suplemental fluids, etc. to get his weight back up quickly.

(My EX-VET failed to address this, even when I told him I was concerned about his weight loss. He also failed to test him for hyperthyroidism as advised by the cardio specialist. Hyperthyroidism can severely affect a cat with a bad heart, or even can cause the heart problems to begin with. That whole story is long...........there were MANY things that happened there(or didn't), and is a whole other post subject, so enough about that right now- just venting)

My question is this: My new vet has given me the intraveinus (spelling?) bag and syringes, etc. so that I can do it at home Other wise I would have to go in on a daily basis for 3-4 weeks, and obviously that is not really feasable.
Has anyone out there ever had to do that? Is there any advice, tips, etc. that anyone can give? I am scared to do this, but I know I have to. It is something that needs to be done once a day for however long it takes...........................

This poor kitty: he has to have 4 pills a day for his heart, liquid anti-biotics twice a day, and an IV once a day. He is NOT a happy camper right now

His pic:

[toughCookie]

I don't blame you for needing to vent! I think it was disgraceful about the ex-vet, didnt seem to care for you kitty at all.
terrible!
how is kitty doing? I have never had to do that iv thing, so I can't help with that. have you started it yet? please post an update and tell how it is going.

I know how you feel with a sick cat and I'm so sorry to hear about the health problems Kedi is having.

[Randi]

I'm sorry to hear that Kedi has been diagnosed with a UTI, as well as having heart problems. I have never tried giving my cat medicine intraveinus, but I would like to learn how to do it, should it be neccesary. Perhaps you can have your vet show you how to do it?

I take it you can lift Kedi? Can you get the pills down easily? I can certainly understand if you're nerveus about all this, but once you've tried a few times, I'm sure you can handle it! Make sure he is in a relaxed state when you do it!

I wish you and Kedi the best of luck!

[tatsxxx11]

I have experience in this area. My beloved Fritzy (RB) was suffering from kidney failure in his senior years. He required subcutanceous (under the skin) fluid supplementation. Lucky for me I am a nurse so it was something I was familiar with and giving injections/IV therapy were not new to me. Hopefully your vet will give you guidance and instruction!!! Of course your kitty will be apprehensive. Having two people on hand will make things a lot easier for you. One person should hold him comfortably in his/her lap. The needle is inserted into the skin at about a 45 degree angle, just beneath the skin, NOT into the deep muscle. It might help to practice on an orange. Try not to be too hesitant. This usually frightens the "patient" more than acting quickly. Pull a small section of the fur up gently (usually in the fatty area between the shoulder blades or a bit lower) and insert the needle. Once you have tackled that first hurdle, it really is a matter of keeping him quiet and relaxed while the fluids go in. Did the vet give you IV tubing with a needle attached or a large syringe that you fill with a specified amt. of fluid and then inject? Did he tell you how many cc's (ml's) of fluid to give per treatment? The treatment can take several minutes (depending on the amt.) and you don't want to push the fluids too rapidly. You will see what appears to be a swelling, a bit of a "lump" at the site. That's just the fluid collecting. It will be slowly absored after treatment over a short period of time. But ABSOLUTELY ask your vet to explain the entire procedure and perhaps demonstrate it to you the first time in the office!! I wish you luck. I know it's a hard thing to do, but try to be brave!! And if you have any questions or concerns, call your vet stat! Let us know how it goes! Poor Keidi!! He has been through so much! I'll be be thinking of you and him and sending prayers and love! What a devoted Mommy he has!! Sandra

[sasvermont]

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/subques.html

Hope this helps!

Keep us posted!

[tatsxxx11]

GREAT site, SAS!! Still, I would be amazed if I learned that the vet didn't pass along this info. or give a demonstration!

[yorkster]

Thanks everyone!

Yes, the vet did show me what to do, but I did not have Kedi with me at the time (to sort of demo. he used the 'office kitty' named OJ- he's a BIG orange guy)
I tried it last night for the first time. I guess it went okay, but I don't think he got all of it because the needle slipped out a couple times (that's probably the biggest problem right now) .
He is suposed to have 100 cc's (or ml's?) , once a day.
I was afraid I would get the needle in too far, so I maybe did not get it in far enough, which is why it kept slipping out

Thanks tattsxxx (Sandra) for the advice and tips- I'm going to try some of that stuff. And oh, it's all in a bag with tubing and disposable needles.

SAS- that was a good site. One thing I learned was that I should not be refridgerating the fluids, so I need to get it out of the fridge. I think that site will come in handy in the future too

Well, time to go try it again. I am sure glad it's only once a day that I have to do this!
I'll keep ya' all posted. THANKS AGAIN!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear about Kedi's health problems. I sure hope that he feels better soon. I have had to do the IV treatment before to my cat Pepper. Luckily I was able to do it for the first time at the Vet's office. I made the mistake of not getting the needle in far enough and the fluid leaked out all over Pepper. It's scary but after you do it a few times it becomes a little easier. I didn't have any one to help me either so it was harder. Pepper wasn't a good patient either. I would hang the bag on a coathanger and hang it from a door. I even started hanging it from the refrigerator door. I just tried to keep Pepper calm which wasn't easy and sometimes he'd pull it out a few times so I'd have to start over again. I sure hope that I never have to do this with any of my animals ever again. Good luck and please keep us posted.

[koxka]

Hi,Yorkter I'm sorry for Kedi.In early July Koxka
have been severely dehydrated,for no apparent reason,the X-rays,and blood testing showed nothing abnormal in her,apart from dehydration.She got to be feed by IV fluids also.And I did it by myself and my partner as a seconds hands keeping koxka firmly still.

By the time I was figuring out how to explain to you how all the stuff goes,Tatsxxx,have already replay to you,I felt a relief,is not the Kind of things I can explain in english.

But nor Tatsxxx,neither the Sas's link speack about catheters,that makes things goes much more smoothly.Is a very tiny plastic tube that is permanently in his vein,don't worry about this it doesn' hurt at all!Take a syringe with a neddle and falf (or 1/3) fill it with the IV fluid from the second "mouth" of the bag,that's made by tick rubber or sillicon,so when you remove the neddle,it close again.
Remove the neddle from the syringe,remove the cap of the catheter,joint the syringe (without neddle)with the catheter and give him a shoot like this,the purpose is to get ride the dry blood that stuck in the catheter,in between doses.Afther that push the end of the tube that looks like a small syringe on to the catheter,without much dealy,that'simportant!if few droops of blood drips at he begining don`t be affraid,is normal.
Give them the dose,and replace the cap to the catheter.
And also get a special food for ill kitties that was called AD froms Hillsfood dietetic or something like that,it give them a lot of nutrients,is very soft,and if he refuses to eat,like koka,you can given it with a syringe(again!)by force,anyway is tasty,I guess,the rest of the gang wanted to have a try too.


I hope that helps!Keep us posted!

Koxka

[yorkster]

Thanks once again everyone.
Tonight's IV did not go so well. I was trying to keep it from falling out like it kept doing last time, so I went a little deeper. My poor kitty was bleeding when I got done I just felt awful!
I'm going to keep trying to get it right. I hope it's one of those things that gets easier as you do it and get a feel for it................

KAK, I know what you mean about trying to do it alone- it's tough.

Koxka- I should ask the vet about the catheter like you mentioned.

[sasvermont]

I think I am not spelling it correctly.

I believe catherters are expensive.....but I could be wrong on this one. I remember the expense when I had to have them used on me for chemotherapy. The insurance would not cover the cost and I had to pay out of pockets....something like $10 each time. Anyway, maybe the cost has dropped or maybe the price was inflated. I would check it out though.

Keep us posted!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Oh yorkster, I'm so sorry to hear about poor Kedi. He is such a beautiful kitty that I hate to think that he's not feeling well. Sounds like you've gotten great advice already, which is way more than I would be able to provide, so I'll just hope for the best. And one thing that will make a big difference is your love for Kedi. It will be difficult, but you will keep trying to get it right because you love him so much, and because of that he will figure out that you are only trying to help and will cooperate and help you get through it. Good luck to both of you and please keep us posted. And if things don't go exactly right (like last night when he was bleeding) don't blame yourself because you are doing your best in an unpleasant set of circumstances.

Hugs to both you and Kedi.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Oh, and I also wanted to thank SAS for that great link. Since Tubby is the beginning stages of kidney failure, I may have to learn how to do this myself someday and I thought they did a great job of explaining things. I will definitely keep this sight on hand for future reference, although I hope I never need to use it.

[Gio]

Poor Kedi. I hope he will get better soon.

[koxka]

Yorkter I was wondering how you kitty is doing.
I tink that you are very brave to feed IV in your own,I would never be able to do such tings alone,well at least not with my sweet bad-tempered Koxka.
Did Kedi get a catheter?I might not to beexpensive.
Koxka have got severals times IV fluids as she tends to be dehidrated in summer.And the previous ones,I was alone,we went every day to the Vet to get her IV fluid,must to say that the vet is just
around the corner. which is a good thing for a human owned by four cats.