Hi nemesis, happy to hear Smokey is eating well & looking/feeling good
Are you warming the fluids before giving them? Some tips in above post.
What size needle are you using?
You can also warm the needle up a bit before using by holding it (capped of course) under your arm or between your hands for a few minutes or place it capped inside the ziplock bag & warm at the same time as the fluids.
When inserting the needle do you have a nice clear "tent"? As shown here from
http://www.weirdstuffwemake.com/weir.../catjuice.html
Tenting the skin will ensure you cannot hit anything while inserting the needle, just don't poke through the other side. It is not necessary to hold the skin up during the entire fluid administration.
The needle should also have the open edge facing up as shown here, also from the same above mentioned site, ensuring the edge is facing up also helps reduce slicing the skin/muscle on the way in as the skin is tented up away from the end.
Are you poking in the same spot each time? If you pick a different spot it will reduce the chances for tenderness and or scarring in that area. This picture, also from above mentioned site, shows the area you can safely use to insert the needle for fluids, anywhere the saddle covers is okay, it is always safer to place the needle parallel with the spine.
A bit of blood usually means you've nicked a small vein, not generally something to worry about, lightly pinching the skin together for a minute or two is good to stop the bleeding. Sometimes it may happen if the needle doesn't go in smoothly or straight & the edge cuts a bit more of the skin on the poke.
Slightly skin flinching when inserting the needle can be caused by
- needle size is too big
- the needle going in on an angle
- the needle being too cold
- nicking a small vein
- a tender spot on the skin
- hitting muscle
If you had hit muscle you would likely see a fair sized flinch after the needle is inserted through the skin & possibly a meow if you've got a vocal one, sometimes they will turn their head around to see what that was/tell you off. Over time when you're more used to the process you can feel if the needle is entering something too dense to be just skin, if this happens slowly withdraw the needle, talk calmly to Smokey & try again in a slightly different spot.
Squirming while the drip is going could be from
- the fluid temp either too cold or too warm
- the flow rate is not fast enough
- some cats don't like to be restrained for the few minutes it takes - some can be distracted with a chin/cheek rub or a dab of food
- some cats also can feel when they've physically gotten enough fluids - but don't change the overall volume of fluids per week until directed by your vet
Smokey's still on 150mL twice a week right? Over the next couple of fluids days if Smokey continues to be squirmy during the last 50mL, you can change to 100mL three times a week - still the same overall weekly volume just slightly smaller amounts each time given more frequently. If you do alter the fluid volume/rate schedule be sure to mention this to your vet so they know what is going on.
You may also get a bit of fluid leakage after you are done, again lightly pinching the skin together in that spot & holding for 1-3 minutes will help the close the hole. I would also, while holding the spot in a light pinch, lift the skin up a bit & give a tiny shake as that will put a small air pocket between the fluid & the skin, reducing leakage. Massaging the fluids away from the injection site helps to spread the fluid pocket out a bit.
Doesn't sound like you are screwing up at all, sounds like everything is going pretty well
just need a little refinement. Patience, practise & routine (same place giving fluids, same time of day, etc) will help things become smoother.