Anyone else given their dogs jabs themselves?

[ladybug1802]

I had a really nice chat with my vet this morning....Dylan had to have his dew claw removed last week, and as he isnt good at the vet she suggested I email her some photos so she can see how it looks, as I was wondering if it was OK. So she called me to have a chat and we got onto how stressed Dylan gets at the vet. She said its a shame because we cant really give him a full proper health check because of the way he is and he growls and wriggles from the outset, and she said we really need to avoid getting him stressed as much as possible.

She said they all know the issues with him, and appreicate that I have been doing all I can to help the situation....its just a case of doing it the best possible way for Dylan. It even makes it difficult with jabs so she said there are afew suggestions she could make....and one of them being she could show me how to do them and then i could do them myself. She said the jabs are very easy...and done in exactly the same way as diabetic injections are given, and she has to show owners of diabetic dogs how to inject them, so she is happy to show me how to inject him so that i could do his jabs in the future. Obviously she wouldnt show me on Dylan! But she said she could use the head nurse's dog.

So has anyone else injected their dog? I reckon i would be Ok doing it....just dont want it to make Dylan not trust me....but maybe it would actually be better for him, as we would be at home, and he trusts me?

[MPbandmom]

At least your vet is willing to suggest this and work with you on it. I have thought about this with mine as well. Not the jabs so much but the bortadella nose drops. The issue brought up to me about doing this was that if you take a dog for boarding or such, you must have proof from your vet that the vacination was given. Sounds like your vet would back you up on this.

[Shellie]

I have been doing my own vaccinations on my dogs and cats for many years (with the exception of the rabies vaccine, of course since that one needs a vets certificate). It's very easy to do and most anyone who doesn't have a fear of needles and a cooperative animal can do it easily. (One of my pets isn't as cooperative as the others, but my daughter knows how to properly and humanely restrain him, so again, no problem.) If you can have a vet show you how and guide you on the appropriate vaccines, then all the better!

[ladybug1802]

Ah thanks guys...yes I agree I have been very impressed with my vets practice recently. I think if I were to do this, they would put the stamp in the certificate, and it would mean less stress for Dylan, I guess means its easier for them to be honest as well, but at least they are thinking of all the possibles. He had his vaccinations last week when he was in for his dew claw so I dont have to bother about this particular thing for another year, but is good to know that it is possible to do it myself...and that others, like you, do it yourself too!

The only thing that worried me was that it might ruin the bond I have with myself and Dylan....but I dont think it would?

[thepennywhistle]

I'd say go for it! I've been doing all my horses/dos/cats vaccinations and occasionally
antibiotics (under veterinary instruction) for years. It's simple and doesn't seem to
upset anybody. Even the litter of puppies I had here managed without a squeak.
I don't think it would affect your relationship with Dylan, but I don't know
Dylan, so that would be your call, but nobody here has so much as blinked when I
did the vaccinations. I'd say if you're comfortable with it the do it yourself route
sounds so much easier on everybody.

And I think your vet is AMAZING! Outside of the vets for my horses, who didn't
want to drive to my farm daily for antibiotic injections, I've never had any vet
willingly let go of ANY procedure, no matter how minor!

[ladybug1802]

Ah thank you for the vote of confidence! I feel much better about it knowing that other people do it and that you guys think it is a good idea. I am liking the attitude of my vets at the moment, and the fact the vet called me yesterday afternoon and spent time chatting with me.....its nice that we can work together to manage Dylan's fear of the vets rather than keep taking him in there and stressing him further if its not necessary....I suppose they all want to keep their fingers in tact as well!!

[wvvdiup1]

I've given some of my dogs jabs of whatever medications myself, however, it was under the supervision of my vet. I had one dog that I had to give a diabetic shot into the vein or artery (I can't remember which now), but I do know I was uncomfortable with it at first because I was afraid of an air bubble didn't form in the needle in which I made sure none were in the needle went into vein or artery, thus killing the dog. Fortunately, a better method came soon enough I didn't have this "uncertainty" in which the vet changed it so that I could just inject the medication into the fatty tissues of my dog.

I know that if I can do it, you can too and with a lot more self-confidence than I had! Just remember, we do whatever we can to help our dogs and that includes things we are uneasy with doing, but know if we want to help them, we must do it for them!

[thepennywhistle]

A suggestion: I just remembered talking to someone else about managing
insulin injections for their diabetic collie. Her technique was to put a really
high value treat on a chair in front of his nose and tell him to wait. She gave
him one of his beloved Meaty Bone treats before, set the second in front of him
and gave the shot while he was totally fixated on the wonderful nummy that was
coming his way. Her alternate technique was to give him his shot while he
was chewing. Peanut better worked well for that. He actually got excited
over injection times

[Nettle]

I used to inject my horse, and can recommend rubbing an ice-cube on the site for a few moments first to deaden the sensation.

[ladybug1802]

Oh brilliant ideas guys! Thank you! He is very food orientated, loves peanut butter, so food would work well! Love the ice idea too.....almost feel its a shame I have to wait another year before he needs his next jab now!

[josie1918]

The best tip I can give is to use one needle tip to go into the bottles to mix the vaccines, draw up the vaccine, then before you are ready to inject the animal, put a new needle tip on the syringe. A sharp needle makes life a lot easier for both you and your pet.

[clancysollynikki]

The best tip I can give is to use one needle tip to go into the bottles to mix the vaccines, draw up the vaccine, then before you are ready to inject the animal, put a new needle tip on the syringe. A sharp needle makes life a lot easier for both you and your pet.

Good reminder, thanks. Doing sub-q or IM injections is not hard at all. My HS buys vaccines by the box of 25 for all our foster dogs. You can get single doses at farm supply stores such Tractor Supply if you're in a more rural area. If in the city you can buy on line from Jeffers Pet and others but that will be a bit pricey since the vaccines have to be kept cool so they overnight them to you with ice packs.