- Prescriptions:
IV
fluids always require a prescription in the
US. (In Canada and Mexico, IV fluids are
over-the-counter.) Most vendors will also
insist on a prescription for IV admin sets but
some will not. A few states including
Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
New York and Rhode Island require prescriptions
for needles and syringes. It's not unusual
for mail order firms to insist upon needle/syringe
prescriptions even though they may not be legally
required. Have your vet make out an
indefinite quantity (PRN) prescription for each of
the items you'll buy in the next year and FAX or
mail it to the vendor. The prescription is
good for a year. Many
states require vets to give you a
prescription under veterinary and/or pharmacy
laws/regulations. If your vet refuses to
write a prescription, see Vet refuses to write a
prescription.
- Ask
Your Vet. Before
you run off to purchase supplies, ask your vet for
help. Most vets sell fluids by the bag and
it's a very good idea to first make sure that you
are capable of administering fluids to your pet at
home. If you experience problems, consider
hiring a vet tech to come by and coach you through
a session or two. Folks who have done this
have reported paying $15-$25 per vet tech home
visit. Some vets have reasonable prices on
fluids and some have volunteered to sell cases of
fluids to their clients for their cost or their
cost plus a small handling charge. Kudos to
those vets!
- Check
Local Sources. Just
about everyone who has tried has found lactated
ringer's solution (LRS) or Normosol-R locally at a
significant savings over mail order.
Correspondents have reported paying from $10-$30
for a case of 12 liters of LRS. Only a
handful have had success finding IV admin sets and
needles locally, however. When I was still
infusing my Scooter Cat, I bought LRS at my local
CVS and needles and IV sets via mail order. Check
the local fluids link for
more information and instructions. There are
some "tricks" to obtaining fluids locally.
- PVC
vs. Non-PVC Bags. A
chemical plasticizer, DEHP, is used in the
manufacture of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) IV bags
and lines to soften them. But DEHP is a
known carcinogen ... studies suggested that it
causes liver cancer in laboratory animals.
There is no definitive proof that DEHP from PVC
bags and lines will cause harm to infused animals
but many prefer the non-PVC bags and IV admin sets
for peace of mind. See the Health
Care Without Harm web site for more
information. All Terumo brand IV bags are
DEHP-free. Other providers, including
Hospira and Baxter, now have fluids available in
DEHP-free bags, but these bags may be more costly
than their bags manufactured with DEHP.
- Price
Comparisons. Be
sure to include all shipping, handling and other
fees in comparing prices between vendors.
For example, some vendors charge an additional fee
for low dollar orders!
- Vendor
Location. Don't
forget to consider the vendor's shipping location
when ordering fluids -- it will determine the time
to your location. Use the UPS
Shipping Calculator to estimate delivery
time.
- Don't
Wait. If
your cat is responding well to fluids treatment,
don't hesitate to obtain bulk fluids locally or
from a mail order vendor. My vet charged
relatively humane prices but ordering supplies via
mail order saved me about $1300 a year over my
vet's prices!
- MVI Shopmedvet.com, Dealmed.com
or ThrivingPets.com for a
No Fluids Order. If
your current needs do not include fluids but
rather a box of needles and/or IV sets, consider
these three vendors. See table 4.
- Reuse
IV Sets. It's
perfectly permissible to reuse IV admin sets by
transferring them from a depleted fluids bag to a
new one as long as you maintain sterility.
Some will reuse a set up to six times.
Others will change to a new set every month or so.
- Don't
Reuse Needles. Disposable
needles are not designed to be reused.
They lose their sharpness immediately and
are easily contaminated. Since the cost per
needle is only 4-7 cents each, there's no real
economic incentive to reuse them.
- Join
the
Feline
CRF Support Group. The ability to
ask a question of folks in the same situation
makes all the difference. The Group can
address both big and small concerns. When I
first joined, the Group sent me to Direct Medical,
reducing my cost for a bag of Lactated Ringer's
Solution from the $12 charged by my vet to $1.89
plus shipping. The Group also patiently
explained how to remove the guard on Terumo
needles after I had stabbed myself twice.
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