How important is the injection site?

I always shoot P on the side of his leg. I've heard since there's more skin at the scruff, that absorption is slower. Does it really make a difference?

 

ECID meaning Every Cat is Different. There are reports of slower absorption from the scruff area. Plus, it's a good idea to move around with the injection site so you don't build up scar tissue.

Here's a chart with other injection sites.

It's important to get the insulin in the cat, and some cats are tougher than others to shoot the insulin. You shoot where you can.

Just make sure you don't poke the needle through to the other side and give a "fur shot" and if you ever do have a suspected fur shot, never give more insulin because you never know how much actually got in your cat and you can't take it back out later. "Better too high for a day than too low for a moment."

 

Thanks, Deb. That's a cool chart.

I've figured out how I've been getting so many fur shots. I stick too close to the top of the tented skin and it's going through the other side. I've started shooting closer to the base of the tent, so hopefully no more fur shots for a while.

 

Thank you for asking this, I was wondering as well. My vet told me to give the injection on either side of the backbone, work my way down and switch to the other side. Will this be less effective?

 

Not at all. I give shots in Mikey's flanks (mostly his right because he doesn't like me giving shots in his left for some reason). It's good to move the shot site around, so what I do is shoot closer to his head in the AM and closer to his rear in the PM. Some people alternate sides for AM and PM (I do when Mikey lets me). Then, throughout the week, I move from closer to his spine to lower towards his belly and then repeat the following week.

I have noticed with Mikey that when I give shots in his scruff, he usually ends up with a delayed nadir. I'll use this to my advantage sometimes if he has a low pre-shot and I'm nervous shooting. ECID (Every Cat Is Different) and some cats have no noticeable change in their nadirs when shot in different locations.

 

Yes, if you aim for the lower part of the tent "door", you have more skin to shoot into and less likely to poke the needle all the way through the tent and shoot the insulin out the top of the tent door.

Wink had lost so much hair when I got him, it was real easy to see if I had poked the needle thru the other side of the tent. Some people cut a patch of hair or shave it or have their vet shave it, so they can see better where the needle is. Can be very helpful in the beginning.

 

No fur shots today! Thanks for the help guys