30
Jul
Average body temperature for cats is 1005 1025 degrees Fahrenheit or around 386 Celsius. Position the cat on a table or countertopon your lap or on the floor next to you.
The steps are as follows.
Put b12 in sub q fluids cat. We use a 1000 ml bag of fluids and just inject 1 ml of B12 into it and mix it around well by massaging the bag with our hands and tilting the bag back and forth a few times. Then we just draw out the amount of fluids we need depending on the dog. Because a lot of cats get B-12 supplementation with regular B-12 cyanacobalamin which is available in injectible form.
And cyanocobalamin is what most vets add to sub-Q fluids when extra B-12 is needed. Methylcobalamin use is pretty rare. It may also help to insert the needle to one side of the mid-line slightly so that the fluid accumulates on the left or right side this is especially useful if quite large volumes of fluid need to be given as the needle can be repositioned removed and re-inserted if necessary to give half the fluids on each side your vet will tell you if this is needed.
Pre warming the fluids to make them lukewarm helps to reduce irritation and make the proce dure more comfortable for the cat. Most intravenous fluid bags contain either 500ml of fluids or 1litre. For cats it is most common to use 500ml bags for subcutaneous administration.
Sub-Q fluids contain sodium and Staged management of chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats 2009 Polzin D Presentation to the 34th World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress states Because recent evidence suggests excessive sodium intake may harm the kidneys recommendations for long-term sodium administration in any form should be carefully. Hang the fluid bag about 3 feet 1 meter above the level of your cats head. You may create a bag hanger using a coat hanger over the door clothes hanger etc.
Bring your cat to your chosen location. Be sure that both of you are in a position that. In certain circumstances IV is the only correct treatment.
If your cat has high bloodwork levels creatinine over 7 mgdl or 627 µmolL she might benefit more from IV fluids initially with sub-Qs provided once she returns home as needed. Your cat has a heart condition. Fluid therapy may still be possible but your vet must decide if it is appropriate for your cat and determine the.
Some cats simply will not tolerate sub-Q fluid injections and quality of life versus quantity must be seriously considered. In later stages of CRF your cat may reach a point where it can no longer absorb the sub-Q fluids. The injection of sub-Q fluids may cause your cat to look somewhat lumpy and off-balance for a short time.
The cat may carry the water pouch up. When the bag is sufficiently depleted the fluids are replaced or if the cat is well again the catheter is removed. A subcutaneous fluid administration procedure is similar to IV administration but rather than inserting a catheter into a vein a needle is used to deliver fluid under the cats skin near the spine.
Warm the fluids closer to your cats body temperature. Average body temperature for cats is 1005 1025 degrees Fahrenheit or around 386 Celsius. If you give any extra medicines along with the fluids try doing fluids without them.
Some medicines like B Complex can sting. The fluids are drawn directly from the bag into the required number of syringes. The cat is usually held on a lap and the butterfly needle is inserted into the cat subcutaneously.
The fluids are administered from the syringes into the winged infusion set. Pictorial on How to Give Subcutaneous Fluids Using the Syringe Method. B12 can also be administered with subcutaneous fluid therapy.
This method may be easier on your cat B12 injections sting. Methylcobalamin should be used because it helps the liver function much more efficiently. It only takes a few minutes to give your cat subq fluids but it will take them a while to absorb all those fluids.
Most cats will absorb all the fluid within a few hours. Youll know when the fluids have been absorbed when the lump of fluid where you gave the injection has flattened. If the lump of fluid seems to move down your cats neck back or to their shoulders dont.
Position the cat on a table or countertopon your lap or on the floor next to you. Remove the needle cap and set it asideUsing the three finger method pull out a pocket of skin on one side of the cat in front of the hipInsert the needle into the skin pocketDo not push the needle all the way through the skin pocket. The following tips will help make fluid therapy easier for you and your cat.
Always warm the fluids before giving them to your cat. The best way to do this is by putting the bag of fluids into a sink filled with warm water. Microwaving the bag is not recommended as the fluids may get too hot.
Vary the injection site slightly each time. Subcutaneous fluids are given under the skin. Cats need subcutaneous fluids when they are too sick to drink on their own such as when they have serious kidney disease liver disease or cancer.
Without subcutaneous fluids a sick cat could become very dehydrated making it feel even worse. If your cat needs subcutaneous fluids you will need to learn how to. Turn the bottle of B12 upside down insert the clean needle into the rubber seal and withdraw the required dosage.
Make a tent out of the skin at your cats scruff. You want to inject right in that tent so the needle will be going into an air pocket between the skin and the muscle. Just into air really.
Next flush out the air in the extension line. Over your sink loosen up all the clips and clamps on the extension line so fluids run free from the. Vitamin B12 Injection Instructions.
Giving yourself a B12 shot will become second-nature after only a few attempts. Well teach you how to do it subcutaneously SQ rather than intramuscularly IM. Reason being IM is painful and puts people off self-injecting.
SQ is great because its painless and has a long history of efficient B12. The steps are as follows. Remove the fluid bag and the fluid drip set from their protective packaging.
Close the line lock in the middle of the fluid tubing by moving the roller so that it squeezes the tubing. The lock on a new fluid set is usually set in the open position. For cats with chronic kidney conditions sub-q fluid administration is a critical tool in extending their lives.
However cats with heart conditions may not be good candidates for this treatment. There is a risk if excessive fluids buildup in the pleural or abdominal cavities. Alternatively try Rx B12 with cyanocobalamin a man-made form of vitamin B12 that comes solution or liquid forms.
The recommended oral cobalamin for cats is 250 µg daily for at least 12 weeks followed by a check on its serum concentration a week after the last dose. However various manufacturers may recommend different dosages. For example the Rx B12.