How to give dog injections without making them anxious or scared?

I know giving injections is daunting but I bet you are already doing a wonderful job. I like to use the skin behind the neck or between the shoulder blades. Pinch it up to make a "tent". Stick the needle in the center of that tent and parallel with the body. If you are using an insulin needle, you could be able to go all the way to the hub. Afterwards, the fur shouldn't be wet in that area. If it is then you may be putting it in the hair and not the skin. If you are unsure, you could always schedule an appointment at your vet clinic for someone to WATCH you do it so they can give you any helpful hints on what to do differently. If they don't have a time available for when the actual insulin is due to be given, just ask them to put some saline in the syringe and you can inject that for the demostration. I hope this helps!

Diabetes is a disease that needs to be treated with insulin in dogs - there are no appropriate holistic or herbal treatments that could replace insulin injections. Most dogs tolerate injections well - the needle is very small and the injection is over quickly. I recommend distracting dogs with a tasty treat that takes awhile to eat - some canned dog food smeared into a thin layer on a plate works well - so that they don't notice the injection as much. A well regulated diabetic dog can have a normal life span with a good quality of life.

By fighting Sadie to try to give the liquid meds, it will be very hard to give them now! Just by holding a syringe she may run away. If possible, I would talk to your vet about switching this particular medication to a pill form, since that is easy to give her, or use a different medication. Many liquid medications have a bitter taste, or use a flavor that is unpalatable to dogs. If this particular liquid medication is necessary, you may talk to your vet about compounding it into a different flavor. If you still want to try to give this medication, you can try to wrap Sadie snuggly in a blanket (think doggie burrito) and quickly give it in her mouth, or even place it in small amounts in her cheek.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mia. It does not matter where the insulin injection is given as long as it goes underneath the skin. If it is more comfortable to give her injection elsewhere on her body, this should not be a problem. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The point of tenting the skin is to help localize the subcutaneous space so that an injection can be given successfully. Without renting the skin, it is difficult to do that and you would be left with uncertainty if it went in the right place to be absorbed and used by the body. For that reason, if possible I would recommend tenting the skin. if not possible, do it like your vet suggested. Best of luck!

What you're doing is correct. You can also try placing the dosing syringe inside Russo's cheek and squirting it in. As long as he is not spitting a lot of the liquid back out you should be fine. Good luck and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

The best things for diabetic dogs to eat are food items low in carbohydrates. Aim for food with higher protein and fat. As far as insulting goes, anywhere under the skin is okay but I aim for a loose area of skin such as between the shoulders. Most importantly, if the dog doesn't eat, don't give the insulin . Hope that helps