Subcutaneous Fluids

Veterinary Fluid Therapy, or subcutaneous fluid therapy, is used to restore the pet’s body fluid volume when it cannot retain enough fluids on its own. Here are some reasons why Veterinary Fluid Therapy is crucial:

When the body's blood does not circulate properly, the whole blood fluid balance cannot function properly, which is undoubtedly a significant concern. The reasons behind this can be excessive fluid loss from the body, leading to a fluid deficit and dehydration. Some common signs of this are pale gums, slow capillary refill (blood takes longer than usual to return to the body's packed red blood cells), weak pulses, and a very low energy level.

Dehydration occurs when a cat or dog loses more fluid than it consumes. This condition can quickly affect their organs, energy level, and physical health due to a fluid deficit, especially in cases of chronic kidney disease. You may notice your pet’s gums are dry, acting lethargic, or their skin takes a long time to return to its original position when lightly touched.

Fluid loss in pets is not always noticeable. Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or surgery recovery can all cause fluid loss, leading to dehydration. Pets can quickly dehydrate when that fluid isn’t replaced, leading to hypovolemia and electrolyte imbalances.

We offer in-home veterinary technician pet nurses to administer fluid therapy for dogs and cats as your pet feels safest in its own home. Our trained team always follows the veterinarian’s fluid therapy plan and ensures each session is conducted gently with your pet. Our team is an expert at handling fluid administration in a caring manner.

The fluid is a saline solution that helps restore the body’s lost hydration. It is given by inserting a needle into the skin. However, your pet can feel pain if the needle isn’t inserted correctly. Our experienced team knows where to insert the needle, how deep to go, and how to inject fluids slowly into your pet’s interstitial space properly.

If your pet has a chronic illness like kidney disease, it can be difficult for them to stay properly hydrated on their own. We tailor each fluid therapy plan to your pet’s condition, ensuring adherence to best veterinary medicine practices, including colloids when necessary.

Your pet’s physical condition, comfort level, and fluid requirements differ. That’s why we begin by measuring your pet’s current health and hydration needs. Then, we create a personalized fluid therapy plan and support any underlying health issues. In each fluid plan, we carefully maintain the amount and frequency of fluid intake to support intravascular volume.

We don't stop after just one visit. Feel free to ask us any questions about how your pet’s body reacts after fluid therapy. We'll guide you step by step, from learning to understand fluid volume and electrolyte balance to how to recognize the early signs of dehydration or fluid loss.