can I give Fred Lactated Ringers Solution as WATER?

Since I no longer need to give Fred subcut, I was wondering if this would be a better source of water for him than the distilled for his kidneys? Can I just use this stuff to put in his water dishes and food?

 

I certainly would not do that.

 

oooh... I don't think that's a good idea... I am not a medical expert but there are ingredients in that stuff that I just wouldn't feel comfortable giving orally - not only due to possible bad taste, but some things, even good things, are absorbed differently when they are administered differently. Who knows how the ingredients will work through the digestive system... I've not found any reference to being able to drink the stuff. It's just not to be used any other way than through a subcutaneous injection.

Here's a page on lactated ringers. If you have bags left which you won't use, either donate them to your vet or the shelter near you or, if purchased from the vet, try to get your money back.

 

I just have a question---If Fred no longer needs it why would you want to continue to give it to him? It can be given orally but has an unpleasant taste.

 

maybe Dr. Lisa can weigh in....?

I actually have a master's degree and a PhD in (human) nutrition. Not that I know anything , but to let you know that my thought is an informed one...

The way the digestive system works is that it breaks things down that are consumed. So any bad things are theoretically weeded out before they are absorbed into the body. (Sent to the liver to be detoxified.) So it's safer to eat something, than to inject it, in theory. The fact that subcut fluids are injected is a testament to the fact that they are pure/clean/ok for the body without the filtering of the digestive system.

If something like a drug in injected in the body, bypassing this system, it's to get past all the enzymes that break things down (why insulin is injected not taking orally--it doesn't work), or to get it to needed cells more quickly--straight into the blood stream.

All that is in this solution is water and electrolytes---similar to found in Gatorade (only no sugar!) So my sense is that this is purified water with electrolytes and so might be fine, even a good thing to give. I give distilled water which is also 'purified'. Although perhaps the sodium is not a good idea for the kidney disease--although it sort of depends because not sure how much is in there and also it's in there with other balancing electrolytes so may not be the same issue as giving a high-sodium food.

Anyway, OF COURSE, I'm going to donate these if I don't use them.

But if it would be good for Fred to have these as a pure and helpful water source--then I would like to use them.

By the way, I just bought the Drinkwell fountain for Fred, hoping he's going to drink more. He's never had this before but seems to really like it so far. I put the distilled water in there.

I wonder if Dr Lisa could weigh in on this...?

 

Oh, just saw your note about the unpleasant taste--I was going to taste it but had not yet. If it does taste bad then I wouldn't give it to him since he'd NOT drink!

 

Yep - taste it - If I remember correctly...the last time I tasted it....it was pretty salty-tasting.

Let us know what your taste buds say. :smile:

I would wonder about creating an osmotic diarrhea.

 

Thank you Dr Lisa. OK, I won't mess with the stuff!

 

Wow... Sorry, if I offended but your original post did not sound as if you knew it was safe, when clearly you do. You know more about the body and the fluids than I do, but I'd still think that if there was something in it that the body didn't need, then it might be turned into waste and would that then make the waste too soft or too hard?

Also, sorry again... but a lot of people do not think of returning medicine and supplies. So it's always a good reminder.

 

Don't "water" your plants with it either. It will kill them.

 

No, I appreciate you reminding me to return them. But after the vet first ripped me off for $30/bag (and I bought 4 not knowing), I only got them online after that. (Still annoying that they try to bilk clients like that.)

Well, electrolytes aren't bad. Like I said, they are in gatorade! There could be some sort of gastric upset--and with those drinks they do do research to determine the right proportions of everything in there. I don't know what the Ringer proportions are, nor would I know what a cat should have. I hadn't thought of that aspect of it.

No I wouldn't water my plants with them either!!! I don't care about plants that much (i.e. to think of giving them special fluid)!

I'd rather give them to a kitty in need!

 

Victoria, it's not that Fred doesn't need fluids any longer - actually, he does. He can't have the subq fluids cause of the heart problems. So I think she's meaning they don't need the fluids as bagged fluids for subq any longer.

Martica - I wonder about the sodium content??

 

I was just doing some studying on VIN and came across this:
(The !!!! are part of the VIN vet's comments.)


Giving 240ml of LRS give a salt load of 1.5 GRAMS!!!
A liter contains 6 grams of salt. That is a lot!

 

Martica was the first to use the word need, though she said she no longer needs to give them, not that the cat didn't need them. But there was no other explanation. It was Paige who then commented on Fred no longer needed them, not I.

 

Ok, bad idea! No Ringers in the water bowl!! But if you don't ask, you don't consider all the options....

Yes, unfortunately Fred still needs fluids, but I don't need to give them to him by subQ! I do need to make sure he's drinking enough and that I'm watering his food down. I posted earlier than I was wondering if I gave him tuna juice in his water is that high in phosphorus--and so a no-no?

He's drinking and, actually, considering he hasn't gotten fluids since Sunday night (and that was only 10ml), and it's now Thursday--his fur is silky shiny and he appears to be NOT dehydrated...yet, at least. I'm hoping he doesn't get constipated though, cuz that is when he tends to throw up if he does. The fluids were great for whipping that poop right out of him.

I'm wondering if any of that excess fluid in his lungs is somehow redispersing itself and hydrating him for now? Perhaps that's wishful thinking, I know these tissues have barriers and it doesn't quite work like that. Anyway, he is doing good today, licked me a lot this morning (had not done much of that lately) and purring in the morning and all day yesterdya. Finding some sun to lie in.

thanks for all your comments, every one of them is helpful.

 

This might be more expensive, but if you want to increase his electrolyte intake, what about giving him Smart Water?

 

On a humorous note, my cats favorite water bowl, (and we have one in 4 different rooms) is the 1 gallon beta fish bowl.
Maybe this would encourage Fred to drink ;-)

Hope he's doing well!

 

ha ha! actually someone told me to get a goldfish bowl so that Fred would have some mental stimulus, not sure I'm up for caring for a goldsish too, though!

 

just tasted it

well, just tasted some of it--tastes like sea water (salt water)!