Intensive fluid therapy and oxygen therapy
Intravenous drips delivered by pump, correction of electrolytes and glucose, and oxygen therapy for patients who are dehydrated, in shock or short of breath. During opening hours; call before you set off.
Mon–Fri 9–19, Sat 9–13 · tel. +48 74 660 62 68. Outside opening hours, on Sundays and on public holidays, the nearest 24-hour animal hospitals are SKVet Klinika Weterynaryjna (ul. Stabłowicka 109b, Wrocław, tel. 791 998 999) and Klinika Psa i Kota (ul. B. Krzywoustego 105/22, 51-166 Wrocław, tel. 71 339 82 48).
What it involves
Fluid therapy is giving fluids intravenously when an animal has lost too much (vomiting, diarrhoea, haemorrhage, fever), cannot drink, or its circulation is collapsing in shock. It is not a “tonic drip” — it is a drug, whose type, volume and rate we calculate from body weight, degree of dehydration and electrolyte results. The infusion pumps in our hospital deliver precisely the planned amount per hour, which matters especially in cats, small dogs and patients with a heart condition, in whom an excess of fluid is as dangerous as a deficit.
Oxygen therapy is support for patients who lack oxygen: with pulmonary oedema, pneumonia, chest trauma, severe anaemia, after choking. We give oxygen by mask, nasal cannula, an oxygen “tent” or in an incubator with a controlled atmosphere — by the least stressful method possible. We monitor saturation with a pulse oximeter.
We carry out both therapies during the practice's opening hours. Patients who will need continuous support overnight are, after stabilisation, referred to a 24-hour animal hospital.
When it is used
Indications are dehydration (dry gums, a skin fold that returns slowly, sunken eyes), signs of shock (pale gums, weak pulse, cold paws, lethargy), electrolyte disturbances in tests, an acute flare of kidney failure, poisoning, and any breathing difficulty: open-mouth breathing in a cat, drawing in of the abdomen on inhalation, blue gums. Fluid therapy is also standard during every anaesthetic and after major operations.
Indications: symptoms that should prompt a visit
- A dog has been vomiting for well over ten hours, has sunken eyes, dry gums and will not drink.
- A cat breathes with its mouth open or with visible abdominal movement — this is always an urgent situation.
- A puppy with diarrhoea has become lethargic and cold — possible parvovirus with dehydration.
- A dog after an accident has pale gums and a fast, weak pulse.
- A cat with kidney disease has stopped eating and has bad breath (uraemia).
- A dog has been poisoned (rodenticide, ethylene glycol, drugs) and needs fluids and observation.
- An animal has heatstroke — it pants, is very hot and unsteady.
Conditions for which we use it in particular
Diagnostics beforehand
Before we connect fluids we assess the degree of dehydration, blood pressure, pulse and temperature and take blood: blood count, biochemistry, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride), glucose — in our laboratory results are available within about an hour, and the most urgent parameters sooner. These determine which fluid we choose and whether we add potassium or glucose. In patients with breathing difficulty we perform a quick chest ultrasound and X-ray to distinguish pulmonary oedema, pleural fluid and pneumonia — because each is treated differently. Listening to the heart and, if needed, echocardiography protect cardiac patients from fluid overload.
How it proceeds
A patient with breathing difficulty goes on oxygen first — before we start tests, we give the patient a few minutes in a calm, oxygenated environment; stress can worsen the condition more than the disease itself. We then place an intravenous cannula (two in patients in shock) and take blood from the same line.
We give fluids according to a plan: in shock, rapid boluses with assessment of the response every 15 minutes; in dehydration, replacement of the deficit over 12–24 hours on an infusion pump plus ongoing requirements and losses. We add potassium, glucose or drugs to the fluids according to results. Every 2–6 hours we check hydration, body weight and the amount of urine, listen to the lungs, and repeat blood tests depending on the condition.
We continue oxygen therapy until saturation is maintained without support. The patient lies in a heated kennel, and we record every measurement on the observation chart. When the condition stabilises, we move to subcutaneous fluids or oral treatment at home.
Aftercare
After fluid therapy ends the animal may pass more urine for a day. Ensure constant access to water, and give drugs and diet according to the discharge notes. For cats with kidney disease we often teach owners to give subcutaneous fluids at home — a simple task that we will show you at a visit.
Call if vomiting or diarrhoea returns, the animal stops drinking again, or rapid breathing or swollen paws appear. Follow-up with a blood test usually after 2–3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Is a subcutaneous drip enough instead of an intravenous one?
For mild dehydration in a stable patient, yes, and we often use it for treatment at home. In shock, with vomiting or with severe dehydration, subcutaneous fluids are absorbed too slowly and the intravenous route is necessary.
How long does rehydration take?
We correct shock within an hour, dehydration usually in 12–24 hours. The total time depends on the cause — a patient with pancreatitis may need several days.
My cat is breathing with its mouth open — can I wait until tomorrow?
No. Mouth breathing in a cat is an emergency. Call straight away; if we are closed, go to a 24-hour animal hospital. Do not stress the cat: carry it in a carrier covered with a blanket.
Is oxygen given through a tube, as in people?
Most often through a mask or in a special oxygen cage; in calm patients a soft nasal cannula can be placed. We choose the least stressful method.
We manage every case individually. The scope, indications and course described above are indicative; we agree the exact diagnostic and treatment plan during the consultation. This content is for information only and does not replace a veterinary consultation.
Have questions about intensive fluid therapy and oxygen therapy?
Call us or book a consultation. We will set out the diagnostic and treatment plan in writing, before you decide.