Petslave, thanks for posting this site and bringing it to everyone's attention.  Vets charge a considerable amount more than regular pharmacies do.  In California, the vets have to give you a prescription for a drug if you ask for one, rather than having them administer the meds.  Bags of fluid at Costco seem to be the cheapest out here, at $16 per case.  My vet was charging me $18 per bag until I found this site!

Needles are more difficult to get.  I tried one online source, and it was such a hassle (needed verification from the vet that the needles were for my kitty and NOT for me to shoot up heroin) that I gave up buying online.  I also found that 20 gauge ultra thin wall needles were much easier and smoother to insert than the larger 18 gauge needles.  I thought it would take longer to get the fluids in through a smaller needle, but it wasn't a noticeable amount of time difference.  I noticed a difference in how the kitties react to the smaller needle, too.  With the larger ones, there was usually a little "whimper" when I inserted it.  With the 20 gauge ultra thin walls, I didn't have that reaction from them.

There's a good section on that site about vets & the law regarding them refusing to give out prescriptions for the supplies. 

There's also good info about needle sizes too.  Those thin-walled Terimos (sp) seem to be the favorite to use, but I would have to order those since my vet just has the standard thicker walled monojects.  And those are definitely like sticking a nail into the cat.  I would love to get the thin walled ones to make it less gross for me & less painful for Tessa.

There seem to be a number of the chain pharmacies that carry fluids.  But looks like you have to order the lines & needles, or get them from the vet.

Gee, Kaffee, I kind of hated the photos of the kitty restraints.  Especially the ones covering their whole faces with only a small hole by the mouth.  Yikes, that would really make me hysterical, if I were a cat.
I just put a regular old vet plastic CONE over my Scout's head, and that is fine.  the kind of cone you get so they can't scratch healing incisions etc.  He isn't crazy about it, but it doesn't make him too crazy.   I give lactated ringers to two of my old cats.  One just eats his snacks while I do it, and the other, Old Scout, I put the cone on, just so he won't bite me.   He used to try to get away, but I surrounded him with pillows on the bed, and kind of held him down, and now he accepts the process.
I am upset about him now because he has started losing weight.  He is diabetic too, and also hyper thyroid.  He takes insulin twice a day, but had to stop the thyroid  meds because they are very damaging for his kidneys.
I must make a vet apt. tomorrow.  I belong to the CRF group and they are very helpful.  They recommended the Terumo needles which are much sharper and don't hurt as much though they are just as fast.

Awknddragon, Yes, I use Brico also, and they are very nice to do business with.  I buy my ringers by the case with the tubing giving sets with it.  And I use the Terumo, large bore needles also.  You are right, the cats don't mind them nearly as much as the ones the vet used to give me.  it saves a lot of money.

LOL --- honestly, I've never had to use any of these restraints on my cats - not even the cone... I just found that site and thought about if and when I will ever have to give one of my cats fluids.

I'm sooo sorry that your sweet Sammie lost her battle with CRF... {{{hugs}}}