Though I mentioned on the website that sub-Q’s should be discontinued as soon as possible, one should be careful no to do so prematurely. The pet should be in a stable condition (BUN and creatinine levels only moderately above normal-high, the values either declining or at the very least consistent for a period of 6-12 weeks). When the decision has been made to wean the pet off sub-Q’s, it is the daily volume that should be cut by 25% and the progress of the pet monitored for any negative effects. After a couple of weeks, the volume is cut by another 25% and again observe any negative effects or signs of dehydration. Continue in this way until the pet is totally weaned off the fluids. Keep in mind that sub-Q’s might still be necessary every now and then as your pet’s condition will fluctuate, it’s the nature of kidney pathology.
