Fun, Minimal-Movement Ways To Distract During Sub-Q Fluids Time (~25 M

[o_rooly]

Long story short, Aston's on 750ml of subcutaneous fluids once per day for about a week total to keep flushing things while we wait for a urine culture to come back and get working treatment underway -- culture results due sometime today; he was put on Clavamox initially, but symptoms have continued; kidney values are fine -- so about 4-5 more days of fluids, or until we run out of the bagged fluid purchased from the vet. It takes about 25 minutes for 750ml to drip, and that's if the bag is hung up high and I'm squishing it .

This dog is a SAINT -- he stays very quiet for the process, even when Mom is a dork about needle placement . However, he gets fidgety, which makes it hard to keep the needle in place without fear of jabbing him if he starts wiggling, and I would like to distract from what must be the really odd feeling of fluids seeping around under his skin. Giving him chewy things makes him move around a bunch considering... so just peanut butter, I guess? any other ideas? Hoping I can make tonight's session a little more enjoyable for my buddy.

Edited April 18, 2014 by o_rooly

[KF_in_Georgia]

If he can have dairy, then a tub of soft cream cheese is a possibility.

 

Also, try canned dog foods: spoon them into a resealable container and pack them down as densely as you can so they're lickable rather than chewable (or gulp-able). Make it a narrow container, so he can get his tongue in there but not his whole mouth.

[mom2four]

Good luck with the subQ's. I've only done them on my cats.

 

About the peanut butter should you decide to use that- make sure it is NOT salted. We made the mistake once giving our tripod angel Jamey life saving meatballs with salted PB and he peed up a storm. Once we switched to non-salted PB the excessive peeing stopped. Although....if you're trying to flush him out excessive peeing might not be a bad thing?

 

Also our Lab, Heidi, used to get doozy UTI's and we found Baytril for 2-3 weeks (longer than normal) worked for her stubborn UTI's.

 

Good luck! eta- spelling

Edited April 18, 2014 by mom2four

[Guest BiancasMom]

What gauge needles are you using? 25minutes seems like a long time.

[dante2zoe]

When I gave them to my whippet, I used to sit in his bed with him while he was receiving fluids. He would lay down between my legs and I would just pet and love on him. He usually fell asleep. But, it didn't take that long at all, either. Poor guy.

[Remolacha]

I was also going to suggest something "lick able" maybe ice cream?

[vjgrey]

Something soft (peanut butter, cream cheese, canned dog food, spray cheese) in a Kong?

[o_rooly]

Thanks for the ideas!!

The needle gauge... not sure, but it's big. :\ I'll check when I get home..
Also, just got word that his culture came back negative. What.

He hasn't had any blood in his urine for almost 2 days now. That was the first symptom, which showed up a day after urine was taken using a catheter during his checkup at the vet. The vet thought he likely got poked internally in the process, so said to give it another day or two if he wasn't showing any other symptoms (he hadn't peed in the house at all, which has historically been his hallmark symptom of a UTI). However, he got really uncomfortable overnight that night, and we ended up taking him in to the e-vet (same clinic), where he was checked for masses and then put on clavamox. He was again checked via ultrasound this past Tuesday when urine was collected for culture. Vet is recommending going through the rest of the fluids and then taking him back in for a recheck, provided that his symptoms don't worsen. He hasn't seemed uncomfortable since he was initially put on Clavamox, but his pee still had an on/off tinge until Weds. night.

[Hubcitypam]

One of my vets had me tap lightly on my dogs head with my knuckles when something was going on further south. It worked.

[o_rooly]

One of my vets had me tap lightly on my dogs head with my knuckles when something was going on further south. It worked.

A continual "knock-knock" motion?

[Hubcitypam]

Maybe spaced apart (one second?). He said it would make the dog concentrate on his head and it seemed to work -- but I didn't have to do it for 25 minutes.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Hubcitypam

[o_rooly]

I'll use that for when I'm poking him with an 18-gauge needle :/

[o_rooly]

I ended up mixing peanut butter and ground bison into a delicious (?) paste, and packing into a tiny plastic storage container for him to lick while the fluids were running. Worked like a charm until it ran out, because he was pretty twitchy (and squishy) by then. I think I'll cook up more bison tomorrow, and add water along with the PB (so that I don't have to use too much), and then freeze it in the wee containers so that it's more popsicle-y.

Pam -- my husband tapped on Aston's head each time I had to place a needle (we finished one bag and had to transition to another), and nary a flinch from him!

Thanks again!!

[Hubcitypam]

Thank Dr. Wade Dunn at VCA Lakewood in Dallas. It does work.

[KF_in_Georgia]

I'm an ex-dog groomer, and we often used the head-tapping when we needed to dremel nails.

 

For Aston, keep an eye on how much fat he might be getting from these lovely treats. Peanut butter and cream cheese are so yummy to dogs (and us) largely because of the fat. If he likes fruit, you could mix flavored yogurt with mashed banana and freeze that, too.

 

Maybe small kidney stones--or crystals rather than stones? They could cause the discomfort and the bleeding, but if they've moved on out that could clear up his urine.

[o_rooly]

I do need to watch the PB -- it's been our main go-to to get the more bitter meds into him (ahem, tramadol ). Mashed banana sounds good! I'll try that next.

I thought kidney stones might be the issue, but he's had two ultrasounds and an xray in the last week or so for this issue, and nothing has turned up