If your cat has been diagnosed with feline renal disease, there's a good chance that your veterinarian has or will suggest subcutaneous fluid boluses to provide support to your cat's health. Depending on your financial situation, this could be a daunting prospect, since boluses can be pricey. However, there's no reason to give up on your cat's health. Here are some tips on how to bring down the price of boluses for your cat.

Do Them Yourself

The vast majority of veterinarians will gladly train you to give a bolus yourself. While it can initially be a bit nerve-wracking to give your cat subcutaneous fluids, with practice, it will become second nature. Giving your cat subcutaneous fluids yourself will drastically bring down the price. Since your veterinarian will have to charge you for the materials as well as a fee to administer the fluids, doing it yourself will spare you these extra fees.

Buy In Bulk

Another option is to buy the supplies you'll need for the boluses in bulk directly from your veterinarian. Necessary equipment includes the lactated ringer's solution that will be injected into your cat, as well as needles and IV lines. Talk with your veterinarian about the prospect of buying these items in bulk. Most veterinarian offices already buy these products in large quantities in order to run their offices, so they can generally cut you a deal if you're willing to buy a large amount of the equipment all at once. Since cats typically need boluses many times per week or even once a day, this deal will work out well for both you and your vet.

Talk To Your Pharmacist

If your vet doesn't have the quantity of extra supplies you need, consider getting your ringer's solution from your local pharmacist. Your veterinarian can write a prescription and you can buy it in bulk from your pharmacist, instead. While your health insurance won't cover the cost since it's for your cat and not you, buying in bulk from your pharmacist will bring down the cost the same way it would if you bought it from your vet in bulk.

Regular fluids can help your cat's ailing kidneys to function better and increase their lifespan drastically versus not getting any extra fluids. Work with your veterinarian to find the best possible diet, treatment, and care for your cat while maintaining a low cost for you.