Fur shot

I’ve been giving Lenny insulin shots since October but I’ve had two fur shots in the past week — the one happening now. I’m tensing up at every shot expecting to give a fur shot. What am I doing wrong and how can I give better shots. Today his numbers were great but I messed up and now his numbers will be off tomorrow morning again.

 

What position do you have him in? For me, it works best having Max on the bed and shooting between the shoulder blade pointed to his back. Every fur shot I’ve given was when I tried to do it on the floor.

edited: I also don’t put my finger on the plunger until I know I’m in.

 

I have him on a table. I’ve been giving his shot either on the left or right side of his shoulder blade. Someone is holding him steady for me.

 

Nancy my Vet helped me by clipping the hair short on the spots where I gave her shots . My spots were on my cats hips or the scruff of her neck . With the hair being shorter it helped a lot to see better . I also use to pull up the skin like a thin tent . The hair always grows back

 

I use a flashlight and aim at the spot. I pull the hairs away with one finger and make sure I see the needle going in. Then shoot and also watch it coming out to make sure. Have never had a fur shot this way

 

I also try to fill the resistance of the needles going into the skin or breaking the skin. When you feel that, it’s a matter of making sure enough of the needle goes in and you’re not making any jerking movement that would make it come off. The flashlight helps with that too

 

Another question - do you shoot straight into the skin or on an angle sort of parallel to the body

 

I pinch up the skin so I have a good amount in my hand and shoot at an angle like 45 degrees. I found that shooting in or down gets a reaction from her so I’m sure it hurts that way especially with the longer needles, which I prefer. The shorter ones make more nervous about fur shots because it’s harder for me to see the smaller needle going in

 

If you can see the spot and what you’re doing, which is why I use the flashlight, and you push the needle in slowly you’ll feel the resistance and when it breaks through the skin. Then it’s a matter of pushing it in more to get most of the needle in and shooting the insulin after that. I also hold the syringe in for a second or so after the shot before pulling it out.