Injection Sites

I was just curious where you all give your kitties injections at (scruff, flank, etc.) We've been giving Victor's shots in the flank area but his being uncooperative with his testing has been continuing over to his shots as well. As soon as I go to pull up his skin he tries to bite me, which is making me consider giving it in his scruff instead, but I've heard that it doesn't absorb as well in that area, so I was just wondering what opinions you guys have about it.

 

I alternate the locations of the morning and evening shots - am goes into the left shoulder area, pm goes into the right shoulder area. I find I'm less likely to hit muscle and can get it right under the skin. I try not to go near the midline or his neck, because I don't want to go near his spine.

 

I was taught to inject near the scruff/neck with our first cat but the spine issue was too freaky. I switched to 1/2" needles and shoot in the shoulder, above the rear knee with Noah lying on his side. He is very compliant and very long haired. I would alternate if I could, everyone here has OCD. They get it from me.

 

What I call the knee is the flank here.

 

I injected on Tylers flanks , side of chest or side of belly depending on which are presented itself best.

I didn't pull up his skin as such. I parted the fur and slipped the needle at an angle under the skin.

 

I'm sorry to hear that Victor is being a bit testy at test and shot time. Maybe give him a treat/goody before the test and/or shot. Croon to him a little bit, pet and smile? I know that when I am nervous or upset about doing something with Idjit, he picks up on it immediately and heads/or tries to head for the hills. Sing to him, brush him, find something that might reassure him and then confidently do what you need to do. I hope he settles down and lets you do what you need to do for him. It does get frustrating at times.

 

I inject Cleo's shoulders, alternating sides in the morning and evening. She knows that she gets a treat before and after each injection and a big dish a Fancy Feast afterwards, so she's pretty cooperative. Having that routine helps a lot, because she feels like she is in control and she knows what is going to happen.

 

Initially I was doing neck scruff but had a really hard time because my Finn in not generally the most cooperative and he’s pretty muscular so if he would tense up it would be hard to shoot. Switching to side of belly was initially scary for me (not sure why in retrospect) but is soooo much better for us. He even lets me shoot while he’s eating which he never did with scruff of neck and his numbers have been better

 

I alternate sides of the upper back/ lower scruff.

Cameron won't let me inject him without a huge massive song & dance, both of us locked in a bathroom, growling and angry - unless i do it while he's eating. So i take his blood sugar, draw the dose, feed the cats, and as soon as he's tucked into the food, tent & shoot.

Something i did for the first couple weeks was whenever he'd be eating I'd crouch down, stroke his back once, tent the skin a couple times, stroke him again and walk away. I feel like that really helped him - he had a pretty bad negative association to tenting initially, because he was on a u40 insulin and the needle gauge was too big and painful.

 

Flank and side of belly elicit a threat of bite from mine. Scruf, shoulder and side of chest , she tolerates just fine.