Hi Everyone,
My name is Kristin and my 14 year old baby Lilah just got a diagnosis of kidney disease on Friday.  Yesterday my husband and I got a lesson at the vet's on giving sub q's and tonight we tried it for the first time and as soon as the solution started going in she started crying and struggling pretty hard so we stopped.  The nurse at the vets told us not to heat the bag but we could warm the tubing with a microwavable gel pack.  The problem was we hung the bag on the door and had Lilah on the floor for the quickest drip possible and there wasn't enough slack on the tubing for a place to put the tubing with the micro pack so it went in at room temp.  I'm hoping someone can give us some advice.  Do you think her reaction could be mostly due to it not being warm enough?  Maybe from the door to the floor made it go in too fast?  When my husband took the needle out before I closed the clamp it was really squirting.  I think they us 20g needles. 
Great Forum, I'm glad I found it.

Welcome, Kristin!  My thoughts are either cold fluid or if it's the saline solution, I've read that it tends to burn a little going in.  The Lactated Ringer's is supposed to not burn as much, but your vet will know which one is best for Lilah's case.

Room temp fluid is really is uncomfortable for some cats.  Try warming the bag next time - when I was giving fluids I filled the sink with warm water and put the top part of the bag in.  Don't put the bottom part with the drip set in the water.  

NedF - I was going to post those same 2 links but you beat me to it!  Those are the best source of info for subq's & CRF in general.

Thanks for the quick reply!  The solution is Ringers.  I asked at the vets about warming the bag and I wasn't completely clear on why they advise against it, something about possibly turning the solution cloudy, maybe altering it in sme way?  I was wondering about trying to find a smaller gel pack and maybe taping it around the tubing.  I will check out the sites you posted - thank you.

Welcome to Itchmo, Lilah's Mom!  So sorry to hear of your kitty's diagnosis.  We have a few CRF?CRI kitties here too sadly.  I also had a brief stint on administering fluids to a cat.  Some things I found out:

1.  A comfortable, quiet, stess-free place and time for fluids is important.  Most people find the privacy of a bathroom with towel hooks and such is the ideal place - this was the case for me too.  You can get a hanger, hang the fluid bag on it and hang the whole contraption on the shower curtain rail to whie you sit on the bathroom rug orthick towel with kitty in avery comfy meatloaf position.  Massage the cat for a minute or so while you sing or speak to her softly.

2.  he temperature of the fluids can be important - especially i the colder months.  I used to warm the bag first.  I fill a big bowl with hot water from the tap and I sit the fluid bag in it for around 5 - 10 mins.  I use to just feel the fluid bag if it was comfortably warm.  ome cat guardians even use a remote thermometer that registers the temp of the fluid bag (it looks like a little flashlight).  

3.  Use Terumo UTW fine guage needles - if you're not giving more than 100ml per sitting, guage 21 Terumo UTW is great... can make a big difference in how a cat accepts being hydrated.

4.  If your cat struggles or you're afraid that she will, try usig laundry one or two pegs on the nape of her neck (this won't hurt the cat).  This is how mother cats or dominant cats keep their kittens sitting still.  

Questions:  What type fluids are you giving?  Lactated ringers or the plain sodium kind?  Did you put injectible Vit B in the line or bag?  That usually stings.

Fantastic tips Cato, thanks!  We debated about where to do it but didn't think of the bathroom which is a great idea.  The solution is Ringers and there's no added Vit B or anything else.  I'm going to call the vet and ask about warming the bag again, it seems like most people do it.  I just looked at the needles and can't tell what brand they are, they gave us some in a ziplock so they're not in original package.  They are pink if that means anything and I do see a 20 on them.

I just ordered some of those needles. It was 11.50 with shipping. 

I just joined the Yahoo Group and got lost in there for a bit, wow there's a lot of info.  I've never joined a Yahoo group before and I couldn't seem to figure out how to find what I was looking (sub-q's) for w/a search (too many hits) so I read through page after page. 
The fluids were room temp and I think it must be that they felt too cold because she didn't cry when the needle went in, it wasn't until the fluids started flowing.  I did get copies of her labs - BUN 41 (15-34) and Creatine 3 (.8 - 2.3).  Ironically, I just learned in January how bad dry food is and all the benefits of homemade and possibly raw so I started transitioning her to canned (Newman's) with the hope of going from there.  I (stupidly) had thought dry was better because of the teeth issue and knew enough to avoid by-products and chemical preservatives but  I bought into the "premium" pet store food was good bs.  Now, I'm thinking I'll have to consult a nutritionist because eating is already a problem, the last few days she's only eaten mostly baby food, she won't touch the renal diet stuff (which is full of bad stuff anyway) and I've read so many conflicting things about homemade, what's good and what's bad I don't know where to turn.  I'm also thinking of seeing a holistic vet for another perspective.  My immediate dilemma is whether to take her to the vet tomorrow to get fluids because she had her first dose at the vet's on Friday but she hasn't had any since.  He suggested every 2 or 3 days so Monday we went for the lesson and I assumed she'd get her dose then but the nurse was unclear about what the orders were so after being stuck three times during the lesson she pulled the needle so she could check w/him and then we figured we'd just do it at home tonight but that didn't work either.  I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed and am grateful that I found these forums filled w/others who love their furry family members as I do.

Thanks everyone for the tips and support.  I took Lilah to the vet today to get the fluids, I didn't want to risk going another day.  They ok'd warming the bag in warm water although they gave it room temp and said she didn't fuss.  The needles they gave me are not Terumo, they are Monoject 20g, which is the only brand they carry.  Do I have to get a prescription from the vet to get the Terumo?  If so, how does that work?  Thanks again!