We had an appointment for Monday to see the cardiologist. Earlier in the week I had made a video of Myrna's breathing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44kgBcqmRXk&feature=youtu.be
The vet saw labored breathing, issued more lasix doseage, and said it's time to begin injecting lasix. My reaction was shock: no, she's not THAT sick; stick a needle in little Myrna? Me handle a needle?
I asked questions on her Facebook page of those with experience injecting lasix and got some good advice. And I thought well it's not unusual to do this; it's not the end of the world; it doesn't mean Myrna's not doing well. I swallowed my fears and woke up Friday and thought that if I could get her in now, that would be best. Let's get this over with; the weekend and long holiday week with the vet's office closed most of next week is coming up; and local fireworks illegally going off on our street is upsetting her. Let's tackle this now. And Myrna was calm today so I hoped to be able to get her now instead of trying to trick her come Monday morning.
She was not congested at the vet's office. We got supplies of syringes and needles for a few months and enough lasix for almost half a year from the vet. The vet prefers to use 25 gauge needles and to use TWO needles-one to go into the rubber top of the bottle; the other to go into the cat.
So, with clean hands, I attach capped needle to syringe; uncap needle without touching it or the plastic ends; stick needle into bottle, tilt up bottle to draw down the amount, getting out air bubbles by pushing syringe up and drawing down again until bubbles are gone; cap needle; remove needle; put on fresh capped needle; remove cap from new needle; tent Myrna's scruff; find "door" to scruff and stick in needle WITHOUT sticking needle all the way through her skin as if we were sewing. Recap and dump into safe container. (Did I leave anything out?)
This will be one injection in the a.m. My husband and I will do it together so somehow we need to do this before he goes to work. Of course the part I left out is the finding, capturing, cajoling, chasing, etc. to get Ms. Myrna to cooperate.
New video idea: me chasing Myrna around the house with a needle. But seriously, if we succeed at this, I'll make a video of injecting lasix.
She will continue her 1/4 tab pills three other times a day with 1/4 tab as extra if she needs more. If she's in distress, then we are to inject.
Injection lasix is easier on the kidneys for whatever reason; and it works faster than waiting for the breakdown of the tab in the stomach and absorption into the bloodstream.
We do have one concern-she has been urinating every 5 hours this week instead of her norm of 2-3. And she's had loose stool three times, twice today. The doctor is worried that the kidneys are too used to lasix and no longer processing as they should. Which means the body isn't utilizing lasix as it should. Which means it's not working as it should. We'll keep an eye on her. For now, no more fiber in her food (she has received it in two meals a day for two years to prevent constipation which she had two years ago and has tolerated it well.) And we will use Forta Flora we already use for the other cats which will help her gastro track.
The vet will get me a needle container that I will return to her and she will dispose of the needle waste (unless the local vet agrees to take it.) For now I'm using a jar. I prepared a dose tonight for tomorrow. I think I can do that the night before but I have emailed the vet to ask for sure.
We are also switching bedtime Valium dose to dinnertime. This will help keep her calmer in the evenings with the local fireworks noise bothering her. And she receives nitrate at bedtime which also calms her. We don't want to overload her system. She takes SO much already! But don't they all?
The vet saw labored breathing, issued more lasix doseage, and said it's time to begin injecting lasix. My reaction was shock: no, she's not THAT sick; stick a needle in little Myrna? Me handle a needle?
I asked questions on her Facebook page of those with experience injecting lasix and got some good advice. And I thought well it's not unusual to do this; it's not the end of the world; it doesn't mean Myrna's not doing well. I swallowed my fears and woke up Friday and thought that if I could get her in now, that would be best. Let's get this over with; the weekend and long holiday week with the vet's office closed most of next week is coming up; and local fireworks illegally going off on our street is upsetting her. Let's tackle this now. And Myrna was calm today so I hoped to be able to get her now instead of trying to trick her come Monday morning.
She was not congested at the vet's office. We got supplies of syringes and needles for a few months and enough lasix for almost half a year from the vet. The vet prefers to use 25 gauge needles and to use TWO needles-one to go into the rubber top of the bottle; the other to go into the cat.
So, with clean hands, I attach capped needle to syringe; uncap needle without touching it or the plastic ends; stick needle into bottle, tilt up bottle to draw down the amount, getting out air bubbles by pushing syringe up and drawing down again until bubbles are gone; cap needle; remove needle; put on fresh capped needle; remove cap from new needle; tent Myrna's scruff; find "door" to scruff and stick in needle WITHOUT sticking needle all the way through her skin as if we were sewing. Recap and dump into safe container. (Did I leave anything out?)
This will be one injection in the a.m. My husband and I will do it together so somehow we need to do this before he goes to work. Of course the part I left out is the finding, capturing, cajoling, chasing, etc. to get Ms. Myrna to cooperate.
New video idea: me chasing Myrna around the house with a needle. But seriously, if we succeed at this, I'll make a video of injecting lasix.
She will continue her 1/4 tab pills three other times a day with 1/4 tab as extra if she needs more. If she's in distress, then we are to inject.
Injection lasix is easier on the kidneys for whatever reason; and it works faster than waiting for the breakdown of the tab in the stomach and absorption into the bloodstream.
We do have one concern-she has been urinating every 5 hours this week instead of her norm of 2-3. And she's had loose stool three times, twice today. The doctor is worried that the kidneys are too used to lasix and no longer processing as they should. Which means the body isn't utilizing lasix as it should. Which means it's not working as it should. We'll keep an eye on her. For now, no more fiber in her food (she has received it in two meals a day for two years to prevent constipation which she had two years ago and has tolerated it well.) And we will use Forta Flora we already use for the other cats which will help her gastro track.
The vet will get me a needle container that I will return to her and she will dispose of the needle waste (unless the local vet agrees to take it.) For now I'm using a jar. I prepared a dose tonight for tomorrow. I think I can do that the night before but I have emailed the vet to ask for sure.
We are also switching bedtime Valium dose to dinnertime. This will help keep her calmer in the evenings with the local fireworks noise bothering her. And she receives nitrate at bedtime which also calms her. We don't want to overload her system. She takes SO much already! But don't they all?
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| Jar for waste |
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| Prepared and capped injection |
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| Prepared injection stored overnight |
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