Note: The AAFP has endorsed the 2024 AAHA Pain Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Cats and Dogs. The Guidelines can be accessed here.
Fluid therapy is important for many medical conditions in dogs and cats. To provide guidance for veterinary practitioners, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) have released the AAHA/AAFP Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats for use by veterinary professionals.
The Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats ensure that pets get the best possible care. Released on May 1, 2013, the Guidelines provide practitioners with much-needed information on best practices in the administration of fluids during specific situations.
The Guidelines contribute greatly by providing practical recommendations for choosing and administering fluids. Fluid therapy can positively impact patient outcomes in a number of different scenarios, is easy to implement, and does not require significant capital investment.
“Our hope is that we have removed the barriers for veterinarians who currently are not embracing fluid therapy to do so now,” said Tracey Jensen, DVM, DABVP, contributing author of the new Guidelines. “There are many conditions and situations where the patient can benefit from fluid support. We see this as a win-win-win: A win for the patient by receiving better medical care, a win for the client with quicker resolution of illness, decreased anesthesia risk, and overall decreased veterinary expense, and a win for the practitioner with increased positive case outcome.”
The Task Force included Renee Rucinsky, DVM, DAVBP (Feline) (Co-chair); Heidi Shafford, DVM, PhD, DACVAA (Co-chair); Harold Davis, BA, RVT, VTS (ECC); Tracey Jensen, DVM, DABVP; Anthony Johnson, DVM, DACVECC; Pamela Knowles, CVT, VTS (ECC); and Robert Meyer, DVM, DACVAA.