Yaay - I did it. It went much better. I used everyone's tips (thanks so much) and I went to a vet's office and bought a couple different sizes so I could try them. They sold them to me individually. I bought a 20g and a 22g. I ended up trying the 22 and it worked fine. Yeah, it took a lot longer but my husband helped and stroked her and gave her lots of attention while we waited so it wasn't a big deal. Doing it alone wouldn't have worked because she would have gotten tired of waiting and squirmy with just me there. So I think I'll order both 20 g and 22 g since it's so cheap. It will be nice to have both sizes on hand. The 22g they sold me was only 3/4" though, but thankfully I didn't screw it up and it worked fine. I really appreciate everyone's input and tips. Made a huge difference. My husband kept asking me why I was doing this or that and I kept saying that someone in the FeLV group said it helps. I'll remember that suggestion about the hip area for the next time. But, this is the FeLV/FIP kitty so I still don't know if she's going to make it. She looks a little bit more wobbly today. Tonight I'll give her the 3rd dose of the new drug I'm trying so I hope it will help her soon. I hope it's not too late for it to work. All I can do is try. But I feel so helpless watching her get worse and not being able to do much about it. Damn FIP, and of course damn FeLV. Maureen “I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn’t….the pain which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further.” – Mark Twain Date: Tue, 8 May 2012 17:31:14 -0400 From: at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] FW: Giving sub-q fluids
It didn’t go through, I am erasing bottom text, and resending – it was too “big”. From: Natalie [mailto:at...@optonline.net] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 5:14 PM To: 'felvtalk@felineleukemia.org' Subject: RE: [Felvtalk] Giving sub-q fluids When a cat is so skinny, you have to really pick up the skin into a tent and put the needle straight down, or else it can come out the other side – sure happened to me often enough with a very old, very thin cat. Yes, I would try the smallest possible, if the cat is patient enough to sit there. Maybe you could divide up the dosage into two instead of one large one?BTW, my vet told me to use the side just above the hip, where there’s a lot of skin and fewer nerves, less pain….lumps are less likely to form there than on the top of the shoulder, or try down either side of the shoulder, about an inch down.I’ve been doing it so much, I can do it blindfolded by now, and have never stabbed myself, either.Hope kitty feels better – the fluids really make a big difference in the way they feel.BTW – some of the vets use not only the 18, but it’s twice as long…horrible just to look at, that’s why it’s important to make sure to get the 1” needles.From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Maureen Olvey Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 10:33 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Giving sub-q fluids No, she's not tiny but she's lost weight and barely weighs 4 lbs. She's just so fragile. But that big 18 gauge needle would hurt me so I know it hurts her. I don't know how much to give her. When my vet tech friend did it Saturday she stopped after the lump started getting big and bothering the kitty. It wasn't 100 ml. I think we talked about doing half that but when my girl got to really fidgeting we just stopped. I might try the 20 gauge. They're so cheap maybe I should get one size smaller too just to try it. _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
_______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
