We see a lot of cases in our office of pets with indistinct or vague signs of lethargy and anorexia which until further diagnosis are often treated in part by the administration of "subQ fluids" This is short for subcutaneous fluids. Balanced solutions of electrolytes are administered underneath the skin and allowed to absorb slowly into the circulation. These are different than IV fluids in that they are not administered into the vascular space, but instead go just under the skin. We will often administer these to animals who have been sick, feverish, or just not feeling well, with dramatic results. Of course this alone doesn't cure serious illness, but anyone who has experienced the woozy, nauseating feeling of being even slightly dehydrated, will appreciate the benefits of rehydration. Many of our patients owners will report how much better their pets appear to feel after recieving fluids.
An even more dramatic impact of subQ fluid administration can be seen in cases of canine and feline chronic kidney disease. The dynamics of chronic kidney failure are such that regardless of how much an animal may drink or take in water in their food, they experience a net loss of water resulting in a steady state of dehydration. Many of our chronic renal failure patients are able to live a much longer time and with a higher quality of life if given subQ fluids at home by their owners. Many people are reluctant to perform the procedure at first, but with patience and practice it becomes a very simple process that enables our pets to compensate for what is otherwise a more rapidly declining condition. In combination with proper diet, medications, subQ fluids, and lots of TLC, we can keep our chronic kidney failure patients feeling much better.

posted by Dr. Billeter @ 9:02 PM |