THANK YOU to whomever suggested Terumo needles

[chapeaunoir]

I think it may have been @fashionboulevard?   

We have to give Cassie (6 1/2 lb tuxedo) every other day subq fluids now, since she was in the hospital very sick with kidney failure. I was using the needles that the vet gave us, which were 18 gauge. Cassie reacted a bit to the needles (my first attempts were clumsy, too). Then someone here, I think Fashion, gave some tips on type, brand and sizes of needles. I did some research based on her suggestions and got the Terumo UTW 20 gauge needles (as a compromise between fast flow and really thin needle). 

They work SO much better - it's rare that Cassie reacts beyond a little "eh" when I put in the needle, and the flow is still good. They seem sharper and much smoother. 

So, Cassie thanks you and I (who handle all the IV fluids) thank you! 

[Deleted]

Glad they are working better for you/her =^..^=

[chapeaunoir]

She got really uncomfortable at times with those big needles. I read later that the Terumos were also sharper. Every once in a while she still gets a bit wriggly, but yesterday she was just laying on Pat's lap and even started purring a little.

[Deleted]

Do you put it in a different side each time, Chap?

[chapeaunoir]

I try to do a semi-circle across her shoulders. There's not much cat there so I don't have a lot of area. I tried further down in the saddle area and it was tough to get enough 'extra'.

[Deleted]

Awwww. All fur and no cat. My Lamington is much the same at the moment. I'm stuffing him full of snacks.

[chapeaunoir]

She's really petite - she used to be a muscular, compact little thing but she's never been very big. The much narrower needles mean less potential scar tissue and faster, cleaner healing, from what I've read. That's what I want to hear.

If we're out of town for more than two nights, we have to board her now, though, and she needs special boarding because she has to have medications administered. She sounds like a doddering old thing but she actually acts like a kitten, getting into everything, jumping at her sister, chasing balls, etc.

[Deleted]

My vet does boarding and only charges $3 extra per day to give meds. You might want to shop around before your next trip.

I have to get Lamington'e muscles back because he's a scaredy cat and needs them to run away from things. I just bought some chicken livers to try.

[chapeaunoir]

We wouldn't take her anywhere else - it's where her vet works and it's exclusively cats - they charge a little extra for meds but not a lot. She was in the hospital there in early December.

[Deleted]

Oh, my vet charges $50 a day for the "hospital". Nearly triple the boarding + meds fee. I was lucky not to be charged the higher fee when Kewpie was there for 3 weeks. Or, rather, I'm glad Kewpie put on her adorable, heart-winning act and got the lower rate.

[chapeaunoir]

Poor Cassie, when she was in the hospital - they set up the little cubicles and put notes on them noting cat quirks, and ours likes a little 'cave' so she had a towel on her door. We opened the door and she got up, limping with one immobilized front paw with an IV in it and staring at us with big, round eyes (her eyes are bigger than her head). The DH gently picked her up in her towel and she snuggled trustfully in his arms and even purred a little - she was being so good. She conquered the vets and staff there. She's back to being her trouble-making self-though - back from the brink...to cause chaos. I never thought I'd be so glad to see her knock books from a table or trample over me in bed, yelling in my ear for breakfast.

[Deleted]

Funny you should post that, Chap, just after Kewpie was being all adorable at bedtime last night. Those felines certainly know how to play us.