Shitty week

[draggonlaady]

This has been a week just full of owner fail and subsequent frustration for veterinarians.
Full details to follow, but for now, an open question:

What could go wrong when an owner decides to administer fluids intra-abdominally to sick puppies? I kinda want a list of things that maybe not-medically-trained folks can come up with off the top of your heads, and what your reaction as a pet owner would be if you were told to do this? For those medically untrained enough that you don't know what I am talking about - if someone suggested to you that your sick puppy was dehydrated and therefore you should give it fluids by putting a needle through the belly wall/flank directly into the abdomen, what would you think of that idea?

Comments

[myuphrid.livejournal.com]

I'd be given to wonder why I, as an untrained layperson, would be trusted with any kind of intravenous treatment, and how I'd be to know I wasn't putting the needle in the wrong place, and why I couldn't just leave the poor creatures with the clinic in trained hands until they're feeling better.

[evathedefiler.livejournal.com]

A whole heap of infection would be my guess, even assuming the "fluids" were a proper solution to begin with. Oh, and assuming a good sized needle, stabbing organs with needles in a random fashion is always bad. Flank = likely intestines so perforation, fecal matter in the cavity, nasty infection, bad, bad and more bad. Could also hit some other things depending, also bad.

(to be fair I've done a lot of animal care in a professional setting, thought not formally educated)

[(Anonymous)]

A very bad idea - maybe I might make a hole in an intestine, or something else horrible.

And I'd wonder what fluids they thought I have on hand that I should just radomly pump into my puppy. I don't actually have bags of saline solution laying about.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

She had lactated ringers, which I had dispensed with specific instructions to be administered under the skin, and repeated statements that any pup which was deteriorating despite subcu fluids should be hospitalized.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

I'm late to the party here, but . . .

. . .I'd be worried about jabbing organs or intestines. I'd be worried about infection (unless the instructions also included "shave the area and wipe it with alcohol", I guess). I'd wonder what the hell good it was supposed to do. I'd cautiously bring it up to my vet next time I saw him and prepare to leap about of the way of the explosion.

Now I'm'a keep reading to find out why you asked.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

All valid worries. Minor point - alcohol is only moderately useful in sterilizing, and that only if you let it evaporate, so what most people do just makes skin wet and actually increases the risk of pulling bacteria through the skin with the needle, because wet bacteria = sticky bacteria.

Was the rest of the story all you dreamed/dreaded it would be? :D

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Wow, I didn't know that about alcohol and I'm glad that now I do!

And as for the rest of the story--dear god. The damage that stupid people do to those they have power over is appalling.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it kills bacteria (and other cells, which is why it sucks in a cut) by rupturing the cell membrane when it rapidly dries it out during evaporation. Soaking in alcohol is not a very quick way to accomplish this :)

It was...a long month. We ended up treating all 3 litters, of course, but the first litter was basically a lost cause after all the shit she pulled trying not to bring them in. Thankfully, she's been making steady payments on the bill she racked up.