Fluid Therapy

Intravenous Fluid Therapy

Your pet will have been admitted for a drip. Possible reasons for this is to treat dehydration, maintain blood pressure during an operation, replace lost electrolytes and fluids lost through illness e.g. vomiting and diarrhoea, kidney or liver disease and support the vital organs and circulation. Your pet will be admitted for `hospitalisation' where they will have a small patch of fur clipped from a front leg. A catheter is then placed into the leg vein and bandaged in place. The catheter is then connected via tubing `the giving set' to the drip bag where the appropriate fluids have been warmed to body temperature. Fluid therapy requires intensive monitoring and care by qualified staff, to ensure that the correct fluids, in the correct amount, at the correct rate are provided to your pet. The progress of your pet is monitored carefully for any changes and medicine that is required can often be provided directly through the drip.

Hospitalisation

Your pet will have been admitted to the clinic for observation, monitoring and appropriate treatment by qualified veterinary surgeons and nurses. Your pet will be housed in a heated pen with special bedding to keep them warm, dry and comfortable. Feeding will either be a special prescription diet appropriate to their illness, a convalescence diet or, wherever possible the food they are used to at home. Any medicine that is needed or any diagnostic tests will be discussed with you.