[Hellllllo Nurse]

I was just surfing, and found a center that does hemo on pets. The animals do not look distressed, but why put animals through this?
How do you keep an animal from chewing up their access? how do you prevent infections?

I love my pets. I would put them down before I would put them through something like this.

http://www.amcny.org/department/hemodialysis.htm

[AmyLiz]

Wow. Didn't know there was such a thing in place for animals. It looks like the caths are placed at the back of the neck, so they wouldn't be able to chew at it or mess with it very easily.

I just don't know what to say! I have to get this link to my nurse manager...she'd get a kick out of this one.

[DidiRN]

Reminds me of when I was watching Animal Planet the other week, I believe it was Emergency Vets. A lady brought in a sick ferret, was told it had renal failure. She kept asking about getting dialysis for it, even though the vet kept telling her that it was probably only available at a university setting very far away, and he was highly discouraging it. She kept asking about it though.

[Farkinott]

I think it's a waste of money. The animal doesn't know what's going on so there is no benefit. Imagine keeping your poor pet on a fluid restriction and don't even think about the diet! Where I work we had to withdraw on an intellectually handicapped person because they didn't know what was going on so they were achieving no benefit. Sometimes enough is enough!

[Angela Mac]

forgive me if I sound insensitive-
but that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of, second only, to the pet psychic.
With all the animals in the SPCA shelters waiting to be adopted, or having to be euthanized. People will actually pay to save one that should be euthanized. That is just cruel........
What is next, HMOs for doggies? PLEASE...... breathe in, breathe out

[ktwlpn]

well............I am giving sub q fluid boluses several times a week to my 23 yr old cat.He is also on a food that I get at the vet's....He sits on the table and eats while I administer the bolus-does not seem to bother him at all....He has a good quality of life-he'll let me know when he is ready to go and I'll take care of that for him....If I could not do this myself in our home with no stress to him we would have called it quits along time ago..........I would never subject a pet to any uncomfortable and invasive medical procedure....

[Fiona59]

Our dog was 12 when he went into kidney failure. Our vet did say dialysis was available, but we let nature take its course.


No, it wasn't easy getting up three times a night to let him out. But when it was time we both Knew it. I held his paw, as he left this planet. Tears were shed by me, the vet, and the kids, but you know he looked at peace and years younger.

If your animal was diabetic, would you deny it insulin?

[EarthChild1130]

I love my animals as much as I could love any child, but even I would draw the line at hemodialysis...I lost one of my beloved cats 2 years ago to renal failure, and it was a hard thing to let him go...but I'd never want to put him through anything like dialysis...we did the fluid bolus as well but that's where I drew the line...

? I guess if people have the money and the time and their animal isn't in any pain or discomfort, I guess they can do as they please...but not for me...

[ktwlpn]

Originally Posted by Angela Mac

forgive me if I sound insensitive-
but that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of, second only, to the pet psychic.
With all the animals in the SPCA shelters waiting to be adopted, or having to be euthanized. People will actually pay to save one that should be euthanized. That is just cruel........
What is next, HMOs for doggies? PLEASE...... breathe in, breathe out

Pet insurance is really prevalent-I don't have it because the advanced age of most of our crew would make the premiums way too high....As for pet psychics-there are people in this world that have a special bond with animals and are able to communicate with them and it is astounding...Certainly there are charlatans out there too numerous to count but don't disregard something totally without investigating it yourself.....As for all of the pets in shelters waiting to be adopted-I value my pets way more then I do a used car...I won't trade them in just because they have some health issues and special needs....Or are smelly......