The treatment of pets is usually entrusted to experienced veterinarians, as in the clinic a specialist will select the exact dosage of a particular drug and carry out the procedure in accordance with all the rules. But is such an approach appropriate if the therapy involves several injections? In this case, it is wiser to carry out treatment at home, but only on the condition that you know exactly how to inject the dog at the withers.
Injection tool
A syringe of a certain volume is selected depending on the dose of the drug, its properties, as well as the dimensions of the animal. Often use a tool for 2 and 5 ml. In this case, one should carefully type the medicine, paying attention not only to the numbers located on the scale, but also to the divisions between them.
Before injecting the dog subcutaneously at the withers, the correct instrument should be selected. For small breeds, it is better to administer the drug with a syringe, the volume of which is 2 ml. Some people choose insulin syringes. They are preferable, as they have a thin needle, which when injected gives minimal discomfort. For animals of large breeds, this option is not suitable, since they have rough skin, and therefore a thin needle can bend or simply break. But if the drug is viscous, then in any case, the injection should be done with a 5 ml syringe: its needle will allow the solution to penetrate the skin much faster.
Rules of asepsis and antiseptics
The skin of the dog does not require treatment before administering the medicine: it is not wiped with an antiseptic, since the natural lubricant has antimicrobial properties and the hair is not shaved off. But at the same time, the skin must be clean and without serious damage.
In some cases, veterinarians still recommend antiseptic treatment. In these situations, it is necessary to clarify what exactly to apply for this purpose. This is due to the fact that the alcohol that we usually use for disinfection is not suitable for the skin of animals. In an extreme case, when it is not possible to consult a specialist, you can wipe the injection site with Betadine.
To prevent infection from getting into the wound, when you make two injections from the same syringe, you need to use interchangeable needles. They, like the syringe itself, must be new.
Own safety
If you give an injection to an unfamiliar animal, then protect your hands with gloves. And in any case, before giving the dog a shot at the withers, he will correctly put on a muzzle: even the calmest pet can react to the pain in a non-standard way.
Injection medicine: how not to harm a pet
The medicine for injection should be stored in a closed ampoule. If its contents are designed for two times, then you must immediately distribute the medicine in separate syringes. The second dose is stored in the refrigerator (if allowed by the manufacturer, which is indicated in the instructions), closing the needle with a cap. You can’t take the entire drug into one syringe and inject half the dose: the dog can twitch, which is why you will introduce more medicine than necessary.
Remember that not every drug can be stored for long. In most cases, the shelf life is limited to five days, but if the medicine is based on live bacteria, then its duration will be no more than 72 hours.
In situations where there is no accurate information about the storage rules, it is more advisable to dispose of the residues, and to open a new ampoule each time. Otherwise, the drug may deteriorate, and in the best case, you will introduce to the animal a solution that has already lost its healing properties, at worst - a toxic substance.
Rules for the use of drugs
A single dose of the drug should not exceed the recommended maximum - 90 ml per 1 kg of weight. In addition, only one drug can be drawn into a single syringe. This is due to the fact that many drugs are simply incompatible, and therefore, mixing them, you risk causing irreparable harm to the health of your pet.
And do not forget to warm up the syringe with the medicine in the palm of your hand before injection, or first lower it into a container of warm water.
How to make a subcutaneous injection?
- Before injecting the dog into the withers, prepare the medicine for injection. Make sure you take the same drug.
- Lightly file the ampoule in the marked area and break it, after covering this area with a piece of cotton wool.
- Put the necessary portion of the drug into the syringe, then turn it upside down and slowly push the piston to remove air bubbles.
- Gather the skin in the area of the shoulder blades (at the withers) in a large fold and squeeze it firmly with your fingers so that it does not slip during the procedure. Pull it up a little, but be careful not to hurt your dog. Mash this area lightly with your fingers.
- Insert the needle parallel to the spine or at a slight slope (at an angle of about 45 °). If you feel that the resistance has noticeably decreased, then you have completely pierced the skin.
- Insert the needle a couple more millimeters and slowly begin to press on the piston. In this case, the syringe cannot be turned, as this will give the pet additional discomfort, and the next time it will be quite problematic to inject the dog at the withers.
- As soon as the medicine is fully administered, without letting go of the skin from the hand, slowly remove the needle.
- Gently rub the injection site with your fingers and be sure to praise your pet for his patience.
If the injection to the dog at the withers is done correctly, then, as practice shows, only a small tubercle without edema can be felt at the injection site. Blood and hematomas should not be.
Communication with the pet
If your dog does everything in every possible way, then in such a situation it is strictly forbidden to resort to force. This behavior will push the pet away even more and subsequently it may become more aggressive. You must speak in a confident voice and be benevolent. It is important not to neglect this recommendation, as animals very subtly feel the internal panic of their master. And if you are very nervous, then hide it will not work.
If this is not the first time you have injected your dog, then, first of all, it needs to be reassured. Do not deceive the pet, it is better to immediately show him a syringe, then cheer him up and ask him to behave well. Typically, the four-legged agree to tolerate, even if they know that the procedure is not entirely pleasant. The main thing is to show patience and gently talk with your dog.
If the first injection is planned, then before injecting the dog into the withers it is by no means superfluous to secure someone else's support. But just not in order to keep the pet by force. The assistant will help to distract him, stroke and talk with him while you carry out the procedure itself.
In the end, praise and caress the animal. Treat him with some delicacy, and in the future your four-legged friend will know what kind of delicious food he will be waiting for his exemplary behavior.
What do you need to remember?
Knowing how to give a dog an injection at the withers, you will be able to give her first aid at any time. But here you should remember some important nuances.
- During the procedure, do not hesitate, do everything quickly, confidently, but at the same time do not make sudden movements so as not to make the dog even harder.
- The medicine must be warmed up, but it is important not to overdo it. Its temperature should not be higher than the body temperature of the animal.
- The injection is done at the withers. If you miss, then this is fraught not only with severe discomfort for the pet, but also with the development of inflammation.
- Not all medicines can be administered under the skin. In order not to harm the health of your four-legged friend, carefully read the instructions.
Possible complications and methods for eliminating unpleasant consequences
It is not difficult to inject a dog into the withers subcutaneously. However, sometimes some complications are possible, the development of which will require certain actions from the owner.
- If during the procedure you noticed that blood appeared in the syringe, then this indicates that the vessel was touched. In this situation, the needle must be carefully removed, put cotton on the damaged area, and after a few minutes make an injection slightly lower or higher.
- A hematoma may appear at the injection site. Here it is recommended to apply magnesia or apply an iodide grid. In the latter case, it is important to be careful, since a large amount of iodine can provoke severe irritation. If, after two days, the inflammatory process has not stopped, the animal must be urgently shown to the veterinarian.
- If a small bleeding appears after the injection, then a cold compress will help to stop it. It is applied literally for a quarter of an hour.
- If you accidentally injected the drug in the wrong way, which caused a pain shock, or the drug was not diluted properly, and therefore the animal received an unreasonably large dose, then in this case the injection site should be injected with water for injection or 0.25% -0.5% novocaine solution.
Reinjecting the dog to the withers is generally easier to do, as you will already have some experience. But to continue the procedure is allowed only if the skin has completely recovered after the first injection.