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This
information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care.
Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.
In the photographs below, unless otherwise noted, the cat
is facing to your right.
Fluid given under the skin, subcutaneously (SQ), is absorbed into the blood stream and can be used to correct or prevent dehydration. The most frequent disease for which fluids are given is chronic kidney failure. Cats with chronic kidney failure pass large amounts of urine and may not feel well enough to drink enough to prevent dehydration. The cat owner may give subcutaneous fluids a few times a week to supplement the water the cat is drinking in order to prevent dehydration and help flush waste products through the kidneys.
Your veterinarian will prescribe a certain type of fluids and a volume and frequency for administration to your cat. The most common fluid type given to cats with chronic kidney failure is Lactated Ringers Solution (LRS).
Most cats tolerate being given subcutaneous fluids. You can give about 100-150 ml . It usually takes 6 to 8 hours for all the fluids to be absorbed. Check to see if the previously administered fluids have been absorbed before giving more fluids. Even though the fluids are given on the back, gravity will cause the fluids to accumulate on the belly, so check for residual fluids on the belly before you give more. Check with your veterinarian if the fluids are not being fully absorbed.
Usually the skin is not cleansed before inserting the needle. If the cat has a normal immune system, the few bacteria that are pushed under the skin with the needle will be killed by the cat's immune system.
You can use alcohol on a cotton ball to make the hair lay flat so it is easier to see where the hair ends and the skin starts. Alcohol takes about 30 minutes before bacteria are killed, so just swiping the hair with alcohol is not effective in killing bacteria.
If your cat may have an abnormal immune system, for example is on anti cancer drugs, then several patches of hair may be shaved and the injection sites scrubbed with an antiseptic solution such as Novalsan® or Betadine® before placing the needle, to prevent pushing bacteria under the skin.
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The
white spike on the solution
set is pushed into the spike port. Hold the spike port in your
left hand to guide the spike straight into the port. If you
push the spike in at an angle, it may puncture the bag of fluids.
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Attach a needle to the other end of the solution set. |
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The
plastic tubing has 2 clamps that must be opened to allow fluid
to flow.
The fastest flow of fluids occurs with both clamps fully open. Before placing the needle in the SQ, open the clamps and let fluid flow until the air is evacuated from the tubing (priming).
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You will see drops of fluid drop in the drip chamber when the clamps are open. If the drip chamber fills with fluid so that you cannot see the drops forming, turn the drip chamber upside down and squeeze some of the fluids back into the bag.
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The skin is tented and the needle inserted along the long axis of the fold. You cannot suck back to check for air so watch the site at which the fluids are entering the skin fold to make sure the hair isn't getting wet suggesting the needle is incorrectly placed. |
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There are 2 clamps on the solution drip set that must be opened to allow fluids to flow. |
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The fluids can be dripped into the SQ space as fast as the drip will go. The higher you hang the bag, the faster the fluids will flow. |
Complications of SQ fluid administration can include:
- development of an abscess which will be a hard, painful lump that is warm to the touch
- edema if too much fluid is given
- if the cat is severely dehydrated, the fluids will not be absorbed