If signs of dehydration are detected, the veterinarian will prescribe glucose for the cat. It is important to understand that a kitten and an adult especially need different dosages of the drug. Saline solution is injected into the pet subcutaneously at the withers or intravenously. Before injecting, the instructions for use should be carefully studied, since 5 percent glucose has a number of contraindications and often provokes negative reactions, especially if the dosage is not selected according to the weight of the sick cat.
Release form and effect of the drug
Glucose solution is a clear or slightly yellowish liquid contained in a glass vial or bottle. You can purchase injections for cats at any veterinary pharmacy. The main substance of the medicine is crystalline medical or hydrated glucose. The medication for cats also contains additional substances, such as:
- injection water;
- sodium chloride.
It is possible to purchase glucose in 5, 10, 25 and 40%, in which the percentage means the content of the active ingredient per 100 ml. Some veterinarians recommend feeding the solution by pouring the required amount of medicine into the cat's mouth using a syringe. But it is better to give an injection with glucose, since injections are more effective, especially if the pet is in serious condition. The medicine is used to replenish nutrients and fluids in the cat's body in case of dehydration.
One of the main effects of glucose is to improve metabolic processes in the cat’s body and stabilize heart function.
Effect on pregnancy
A sodium chloride dropper during pregnancy (1st and 2nd trimester) should only be prescribed by a doctor. You should not use such saline solution during pregnancy more than 200-400 milliliters per infusion. But if this remedy is used to replenish blood deficiency or detoxification, then doctors prescribe fairly large doses (from 700 to 1400 milliliters).
It should also be noted that one of the most important indications for prescribing saline solution for pregnant women is arterial hypotension or low blood pressure.
Sodium and chlorine are important and are found in almost all foods and feeds. Reacting to form a salt
If there is a deficiency of this substance in the body, it is administered in the form of a solution subcutaneously. Sodium Chloride for cats and kittens is used to ensure the normal functioning of all body systems. A description of the properties of the drug can be found in the instructions.
Indications for use: in what cases does it help?
The drug will be useful for animals with ailments of the digestive system.
Administration of glucose intravenously or subcutaneously, as well as feeding the cat with glucose, is required when prescribed by a veterinarian. It is recommended to give the drug to an animal in order to maintain strength in the body during illness. Administering the solution intramuscularly or intravenously is indicated in the following cases:
- severe intoxication associated with food poisoning and chemicals;
- dehydration of the cat's body;
- internal bleeding;
- state of shock;
- infectious diseases;
- liver dysfunction;
- diseases of the digestive system.
Properties of the drug
How does 5% glucose work? The instructions state that this remedy takes part in the metabolism in the body, and also enhances reductive and oxidative processes, improves the antitoxic functioning of the liver and increases the contractile activity of the heart.
It should also be said that the infusion of such a solution partially compensates for the H2O deficiency. Entering the tissues of the body, dextrose is phosphorylated and converted into glucose-six-phosphate, which is included in the main metabolic components of the human body.
Instructions for use
How to draw the solution into a syringe?
Before you introduce glucose into your cat’s body, you need to know how to properly prepare for the manipulation. The preparatory process includes the following procedure:
Bleeding air from the syringe after drawing the drug is a mandatory step before the procedure.
- Open the syringe and draw out the medicine. Use the tip of a needle to pierce the rubber stopper in the bottle with glucose.
- Draw the solution into a syringe in the indicated dosage.
- If the veterinarian deems it necessary, glucose is mixed with other medications according to the specialist’s prescription.
- Before administering the drug, carefully check its dose.
- Release excess air from the syringe.
How to give an injection?
You can do the procedure at home, but first consult with a veterinarian about the dosage and clarify the nuances of administering the injection. It is better to carry out the manipulation together, since the cat may break free or scratch the owner. The procedure is performed in the following sequence:
After capturing the skin fold on the animal’s withers, the prepared drug can be administered.
- Fix the cat. If necessary, wrap the pet in a towel or rag.
- With your left hand, take the pet by the withers, pressing lightly. It is more convenient for left-handed people to perform the procedure with their right hand.
- Hold the animal with your elbow, while slightly pulling back the skin in the withers area.
- With your right hand, take a syringe with a glucose solution and pierce the skin with a needle parallel to the surface on which the cat is located. The needle does not need to be inserted more than a third under the skin.
- Loosen the grip on the pet's withers and slowly inject, gradually introducing glucose. It is necessary to check whether the medicine is spilled out if the needle is not inserted deep enough. If the cat's fur is dry, then the procedure was performed correctly.
Veterinarians recommend that owners behave calmly and confidently during manipulation, since anxiety is transmitted to the pet and it may begin to break free.
How to reduce pain from an injection for a cat
To carry out the procedure correctly and as painlessly as possible for the cat, you need to accurately select the place where the injection will be given. Thus, for adults and large animals, glucose is most often prescribed to be injected into the withers, and small kittens are allowed to receive an injection into the upper part of the hind leg. Thus, the pet will feel less discomfort.
Also, a cat’s individual pain threshold may be too low, causing the animal to feel pain, resist and scream. For such pets, it is recommended that the procedure be carried out by a veterinarian who knows exactly where the injections should be given to reduce the cat’s pain.
The painfulness of the procedure for the animal may also depend on how many times and in what quantity glucose is administered. The less glucose is injected, and the fewer procedures are performed, the less pain the cat will feel.
Contraindications and unwanted effects
This drug is not prescribed to diabetic animals.
It is possible to give glucose to a cat orally by dripping the solution into the pet's mouth. With any method of using the medicine, you must strictly adhere to the dosage prescribed by the veterinarian in order to avoid unpleasant consequences. The main contraindication to the use of glucose is the cat’s individual intolerance to active or auxiliary substances. And also, experts do not prescribe the solution to pets who have diabetes. Owners should be careful about giving glucose to cats during pregnancy, as this can negatively affect the development of the babies. It is contraindicated to use the medicine simultaneously with the following drugs:
- general anesthetics;
- sleeping pills;
- alkaloid solutions.
Owners should also take into account that the simultaneous use of glucose and analgesics or antifungal agents weakens the effect of the latter. If your cat drinks or administers the solution incorrectly, then after a while, adverse reactions may appear, such as:
The appearance of thirst in an animal indicates improper use of the drug.
- nausea;
- gagging;
- decrease in phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in the cat’s body;
- unquenchable thirst;
- skin rashes and itching;
- pain at the injection site.
Glucose
Since glucose (dextrose) tolerance may be impaired in patients with diabetes mellitus, renal failure, or those in acute critical condition, their clinical and biological parameters should be especially carefully monitored, in particular the concentration of electrolytes in the blood plasma, including magnesium or phosphorus, concentration blood glucose. If hyperglycemia is present, the rate of drug administration should be adjusted or short-acting insulin should be prescribed. Typically, glucose is completely absorbed by the body (normally it is not excreted by the kidneys), so the appearance of glucose in the urine can be a pathological sign.
In case of prolonged administration or use of dextrose in high doses, it is necessary to monitor the concentration of potassium in the blood plasma and, if necessary, administer additional potassium to avoid hypokalemia.
During episodes of intracranial hypertension, careful monitoring of blood glucose concentrations is necessary.
The use of dextrose solutions can lead to hyperglycemia. Therefore, they are not recommended for administration after acute ischemic stroke, since hyperglycemia is associated with increased ischemic brain damage and impedes recovery.
Particularly careful clinical monitoring is required when starting intravenous administration of the drug.
For rehydration therapy, carbohydrate solutions should be used in combination with electrolyte solutions to avoid electrolyte imbalance (hyponatremia, hypokalemia).
It is necessary to monitor the concentration of glucose and the content of electrolytes in the blood, water balance, as well as the acid-base state of the body.
The solution should be inspected before use. Use only a clear solution without visible inclusions and if the packaging is not damaged. Administer immediately after connecting to the infusion system.
The solution should be administered using sterile equipment in compliance with the rules of asepsis and antisepsis.
To avoid air embolism, remove air from the infusion system using a solution.
Do not connect containers in series to avoid air embolism, which may occur due to air being drawn in from the first container before the solution is administered from the second container.
Delivering intravenous solutions contained in soft plastic containers under increased pressure to increase the flow rate may result in air embolism if residual air in the container is not completely removed before administration.
The use of an IV system with a gas outlet may result in an air embolism if the gas outlet is open. Soft plastic containers should not be used with these systems.
Added substances can be administered before infusion or during infusion through the injection site (if there is a special port for drug administration).
Adding other drugs to the solution or violating the administration technique may cause fever due to the possible entry of pyrogens into the body.
If adverse reactions develop, the infusion should be stopped immediately.
When adding other drugs before parenteral administration, it is necessary to check the isotonicity of the resulting solution.
Complete and thorough mixing under aseptic conditions is mandatory.
Solutions containing additional substances should be used immediately; their storage is prohibited.
If additional nutrients are administered, the osmolarity of the resulting mixture should be determined before infusion.
The resulting mixture must be administered through a central or peripheral venous catheter depending on the final osmolarity.
The compatibility of additionally administered drugs must be determined before they are added to the solution (similar to the use of other parenteral solutions). Assessing the compatibility of additionally administered drugs with the drug is the responsibility of the physician. It is necessary to check the resulting solution for changes in color and/or the appearance of sediment, insoluble complexes or crystals. You should study the instructions for use of the added medications.
From a microbiological point of view, the diluted drug should be used immediately. The exception is dilutions prepared under controlled and aseptic conditions. Otherwise, after preparing the solution, the timing and conditions of its storage before administration are the responsibility of the user.
Children
In newborns, especially those born prematurely or with low body weight, the risk of developing hypo- or hyperglycemia is increased, therefore, during the period of intravenous administration of dextrose solutions, careful monitoring of blood glucose concentrations is necessary to avoid long-term undesirable consequences. Hypoglycemia in newborns can lead to prolonged seizures, coma, and brain damage. Hyperglycemia has been associated with intraventricular hemorrhage, delayed bacterial and fungal infections, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, prolonged hospitalization, and mortality.
To avoid potentially fatal overdose of intravenous drugs in neonates, special attention must be paid to the route of administration. For the treatment of “symptomatic” hypoglycemia, it is preferable to use a 10% glucose solution. In this case, it is necessary to constantly monitor glucose and blood levels and, if necessary, adjust them. It should be taken into account that newborns with different pathologies have different needs for exogenous glucose. Abrupt cessation of infusion can cause hypoglycemia, so the dose of glucose is reduced gradually, titration of the glucose solution is stopped if the child remains normoglycemia when glucose is administered at a rate of 4 mg/kg/min.
When using a syringe pump for intravenous administration of drugs to newborns, the container with the solution should not be left attached to the syringe.
When using an infusion pump, all clamps on the system must be closed before removing the system from the pump or turning it off, regardless of whether there is a device in the system that prevents the free flow of fluid.
IV infusion devices and other drug administration equipment should be monitored regularly.
If the drug contains dextrose derived from corn, the drug is contraindicated in patients with a known intolerance to corn or corn products, because The following manifestations of hypersensitivity are possible: anaphylactic reactions, chills and fever.
For drugs in containers:
Containers should be discarded after single use.
Any unused dose should be discarded.
Do not reconnect partially used containers.
Is it possible to overdose?
If you follow the dose prescribed by the veterinarian and give it by mouth or give the injection intramuscularly correctly, then this phenomenon will not be observed. When owners begin to give their pet water or give injections on their own, the risks of overdose are high. If the solution is used excessively, the animal's blood and urine sugar levels increase. An incorrectly selected dose of glucose can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes and the accumulation of large amounts of fluid in the cat's body. If unpleasant symptoms continue for several days, then your pet should be taken to the veterinarian. In such cases, the medication is discontinued and insulin is prescribed or saline infusion is performed.
Features of the medicine
What is remarkable about 5 percent glucose? The instructions say it has metabolic and detoxifying effects, and also represents an essential source of easily digestible and valuable nutrients.
During the metabolism of dextrose in tissues, a huge amount of energy is produced, which is essential for the normal functioning of the body.
The solution in question is isotonic. Its energy value is 200 kcal/l, and its approximate osmolarity is 278 mOsm/l.
