Do I need to shave my long-haired dog for home vaccinations?

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!

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!

Hi, the injection needs to be administered subcutaneously so some areas are better than others, where the skin is lose. It is very important for vaccine to be administered correctly. Hope this makes sense.

Some doctors do vaccinate there but others vaccinate in the shoulders or the hips. The location in dogs varies and as long as the vaccine is properly handled and administered, it will be effective. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Yes, it is possible that this is a spot of reaction where the needle has gone in and the vaccine has been injected. If that is the case it should not progress any further, but it is possible that it will remain the same (bald, black spot).

You are right there can be injuries to the neck you can't see through the fur. The little one could have been bitten around the neck, and a bite from another dog can lead to an infection in this area. You can try to shave around the area to see if there is a bite mark, and if there is, I would gently clean the area with warm water and an antiseptic soap. Monitor the area for signs of swelling, redness, warmth to the touch, and pus. These are signs of infection, and if you see them, you will need to take him into the vet for an exam. If he won't allow you to shave the area and becomes very agitated, then I would take him into the vet to have the area shaved and examined.

Puppies are usually vaccinated three times at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks. However, without knowing what particular vaccines have been given to Mimi it is not possible to advise you when she should be vaccinated again and your veterinarian may have good reason for wanting to vaccinate at 6 months. You should not clip Mimi's hair until her adult coat has grown in. This typically happens around 6 months.