Weird Wensday

 Megan commented:

"You know - I can't see that you really need those magic thumbs of his to open the door. So why don't you sit TBT down and get him to explain to you how you can open the door for yourselves? Then you'd be able to come and go as you please. Tell him that he'd have a much more peaceful life if he wasn't always jumping up from his chair to open the door for you. It's clearly a win-win."

We Mews have actually discussed that with TBT.  And he has actually had some thoughts on that.  And he is seldom in a chair in daylight.

One involved a lever that we could reach up to and pull on.  But he couldn't figure out how to make that safe.  It wouldn't close afterwards.  And we have hornets around here that want to come inside the house and he really hates hornets in the house.

Another idea he had was to fit a piece of plywood into the deck doorframe with a cat-flap at the bottom.  But he doesn't want to find an opossum in the kitchen or an intruder cat sneaking in to bother us (we had one that tried to get in a few weeks ago).  And it would make the door less secure.

And he says he would worry about us going outside at night.  He says "there are owls".  He says there are large ones in the swamp across the street.  We are brave cats, but "owls" seem worrisome.  We hear them hooting at night.  You can't hear them flying though.  Ask any mouse...

So, TBT says he will do the effort to let us out only in daytime for our own safety and stay out with us when we are.  But we have to stay in after dark.  Safe is a good thing.

Mancat Monday

MARLEY:   I have my very own fluidization station at home now.  Not that I love getting stabbed, but actually I barely feel it.  At least I don't have to go the the vet place and listen to barky dogs and lots of strangers talking.  I mean, the place is NOISEY an SMELLY an I don't like that.

So, if I have to get the little stabs, it is easier on me to have TBT do it at home!

TBT set up a special place fer that, an that is somewhat reassuring.  I can learn to live with a routine.  Same place, every few days, same trusted Bein.  An I don't have ta fear that he might be taking me somewhere ta leave me there.  This is my 3rd place (The Shelter, The Lady, and TBT), so after all, it always could happen again!  I worry about things like that.

But I don't understand anything about what TBT is doing, so I better let TBT explain it.

TBT:  Marley seems calm in the top-opening carrier as long as I don't drag it to the car.  So I start by putting him in there with the top closed just for a minute or so.  I need to have him in place while I get things ready.

Here, you can see the carrier (which in this case is just to prevent Marley from moving around later.

I attached a picture-hanger hook to hold the fluid bag up high (it drips faster higher up).

I also used a shot-glass to hold the needles and some cotton balls.  The cotton balls are a gentle way to apply pressure at the needle insertion and also in case there are a few drops of blood on removal.  It also holds used needles.  I need to collect them for safe disposal, so I might as well do it in batches rather than one at a time.

I watched the vet technician do the injection several times.  Then I did it once myself at the vet while she watched.  I announced each step so she could correct me if I got any part out-of-order.  She did not have to correct me.  But she did show me the best way to uncrimp the drip line where the clamp was (which, almost oddly, is a tricky part of the procedure).  

So I felt ready to try it at home.  And I already have 2 improvements in mind for the process.  First, the vet technician uncrimps the line after the needle is inserted.  it occurs to me that a 2nd temporary crimp below the existing one would allow me to uncrimp the drip line at the "standard" crimp which would be easier than doing it while the needle was in Marley.  

I have a tiny brass clamp designed for Very Small Projects.  That would not be on the drip line long enough to cause a crimp on its own.

Second, I'm supposed to give Marley 100 ml of fluid.  It takes a few minutes, and I can lose track.  So I used a marker to put a spot next to each 100.

Actually, there is a 3rd improvement.  The vet had Marley on a Wed&Sat schedule.  I shifted it to Mon&Thurs.  Why?  Those are trash pickup days and easier to remember!  Every trash day, Marley gets his fluids...

So here's the procedure I am following...

Clamp the drip line with the mini-clamp further down the drip line.  Move the standard clamp an inch toward the fluid bag and massage the drip line crimp enough to open it fully.  Open standard clamp on drip line.  

Put Marley in the carrier and close the top.

Open a new single needle packet.  Remove protective cover and replace previous needle with a new one  (holding it above the clamp so it doesn't drip).  Set aside.

Open top of carrier.  Pull up the scruff of Marley's back shoulder skin.  Insert needle bevel side up very flatly as to not touch flesh.  And try to use a slightly different spot each time.

Remove my own secondary clamp from drip line.  Observe that drips are dropping well from bag to the observation cylinder.

Gently hold cotton ball on needle insertion site (and it helps keeping him from moving).

When fluid level in bag reaches marked line, close standard clamp.  Remove needle from Marley (but leave it on the drip line as it caps the drip line), keeping cotton ball in place 30 seconds to assure there is no bleeding.

Lift Marley out of carrier and give him a few treats while I tell tell him what a brave mancat he is when I put him on the floor and then let him run away to grumble for a few minutes.

I have another thought.  The drip line seems to be about the same as my aquarium air tubing.  The clamps on the drip tubes are annoying.  The aquarium air tubes have easy screw-open valves.  Why can't the cat fluid drip lines have the same?  No crimps to massage open then...

I'll have to sketch that out to show to the vet and ask if there is something wrong with my improvements.

But aside from that, what do you who are doing sub Q injection think of my set-up and procedure?   I'll make any changes that seem better.

BTW, several commenters asked about Marley's numbers.  His most recent (which closely matched his previous) were BUN 63.7 (should be 15-32) and his creatinine was 2.4 (should be 0.8-1.8).  The vet resisted describing the "seriousness" of those numbers.  What do you think?