Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

568 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
oxygen. This is one reason why it is best to have your veterinarian give injections.
As a precaution, do not administer a drug by injection to a dog who has
had any sort of past history of an allergic reaction (such as hives) to that drug.
If it becomes necessary to give injections at home (for example, if the dog
is diabetic), have your veterinarian demonstrate the procedure. Some injections
are given under the skin (subcutaneous) and others into the muscle
(intramuscular). Directions that come with the product will indicate the correct
route of injection.
The injection itself usually is not painful, although intramuscular injections
may hurt somewhat as the medicine is injected. Dogs should be
restrained as described in Handling and Restraint, page 2. Having an assistant
is helpful.
Begin by drawing the medicine up into the syringe. If there is an air bubble
inside, flick the syringe to get the bubble to the top. Then point the needle
toward the ceiling or into a sink and press the plunger to expel all air from the
syringe and needle. Make sure the correct amount is still in the syringe after
the air bubble is expelled. Select the injection site, part the hair, and cleanse
the dog’s skin with cotton soaked in alcohol.
Subcutaneous Injections
These are given under the skin on the back of the neck or the shoulder. Here
the skin is loose and easily forms a fold when pinched. Grasp a fold of skin to
form a ridge. Firmly push the point of the needle through the skin into the
subcutaneous fat at an angle somewhat parallel to the surface of the body.
Subcutaneous injections
are given beneath the skin
on the back of the neck
or shoulder.