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Are sub-q fluids safe for dogs with kidney failure and breathing?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Male | neutered | 13 years and 11 months old | 5.4 lbs

My dog is in Kidney Failure & just diagnosed w/ Pulmonary Hypertension. Last week he got sub-q fluids, shortly after he started breathing very quick & hard (over 60 breaths a min). He ended up in emerg. I was told the kidney failure caused the rapid breathing not the fluids & he was put on IV fluids for 3 days. But, I am now scared to do sub-q fluids again as another 3 days at emerg isn't something I can afford & seems to be doing ok. Could they have caused the breathing trouble?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on February 12th, 2018

If a dog has heart problems and is unable to utilize the volume of fluids that is given, those fluids can end up in the lungs and cause an increase in breathing. This is most common with large amounts of fluids given IV quickly, but can occur with SubQ fluids. However, it takes time to develop, so it would have occured a number of hours after fluids were given - not immediately after. And when Memi was hospitalized, the IV fluids should have made her worse, not better. The most likely explanation is that the breathing was due to her kidney disease, and the fluids were coincidentally given at the same time. Giving enough fluids (IV or SubQ) is very important to making a kidney failure patient feel good, so continuing her SubQ fuids is important. Good luck! I hope that answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 14th, 2018

    If the pulmonary hypertension has caused right sided congestive heart failure and fluid retention it might not be ideal to increase fluids. It can be very difficult to balance kidney failure with heart failure however and subcutaneous fluids are unlikely to cause significant fluid overload. I sometimes will recommend periodic subcutaneous fluids for my patients with kidney and heart disease. If there is no congestive heart failure and just pulmonary hypertension then I think subcutaneous fluids are very safe and can be beneficial for kidney disease. It would probably be best to ask your vet if they think Memi should be on fluids regularly or just as needed since they know the particulars of his treatment.

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