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.

[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.