Subcutaneous Injections for Dogs and Cats

Prepare everything before you get your pet. Wipe off the top of the injection vial with an alcohol swab, draw-up the correct dosage and eject all the air from the syringe. If the medication was refrigerated, let it rise to room temperature. Put the syringe in an easily accessible area, out of sight of your animal.

Giving your pet a shot is much easier with help. The other person can restrain your animal and keep him calm while you give the injection.

Get into a comfortable position with your pet while keeping the syringe out of sight. Stay calm and speak in a soothing voice while giving a short petting session. During petting sessions, randomly pinch the loose skin around the neck area to get your pet used to the next steps.

With your non-dominant hand, pinch the loose skin between your thumb and forefinger. Hold the syringe with your dominant hand between your index and middle fingers with your thumb on the plunger. Angle the syringe at 30 - 45 degrees with the bevel of the needle up. Quickly insert the needle and pull back slightly on the plunger to make sure there is no blood, and then quickly administer the contents.

When you're finished, give your pet a reward with some playtime or a tasty treat. This should make it much easier to administer injections in the future.

Recap the needle and dispose of the entire syringe into a “sharps” container. If the medication requires refrigeration, put it back in the refrigerator.