Having trouble injecting - any tips please?

[Missy & Jazz]

Hi lovely people,

As some of you know Jazz was dx in April and has been on insulin (1 IU BID).
I am now so much better with the ear testing and she is being really good with it - usually not even a peep and we get enough on first poke (any newbies reading, it truly does get easier with practice!!).

However, now having issues with giving the injections. It is my fault... initially she was awesome with them, we got them in with no fuss, while she was eating and she had no problem with it (didn't feel etc.). I think my technique has deteriorated I have missed the last couple completely it seems (despite thinking a couple went in). I am trying so hard, everything I can think of but I think now she has unfortunately started to associate me grabbing her fur with attack and multiple stabs!! That sounds awful, but yeah, not far off what happens :roll: I am trying to re-associate with food treats, lots of hugs/cuddles, etc but she's naturally smarter than that...

I smell her (don't laugh!) and pat her fur each time after to check if it was a fur shot, but sometimes even that doesn't seem to tell me accurately if it went in or not.

I do the pinch/tent and inject at a small angle into the base, as instructed by the vet etc. (this worked excellently initially but no longer...) I have tried 'rolling' the skin to the side also. I know part of it is me (getting anxious and stressed about doing it right - this is compounded each time I miss of course :sad: ) but I am trying to take a break and settle (her and me!) before the next try if we don't get it first time. I have tried while eating (as used to work fine), between my knees (she gets mad and runs off), on the sofa kind of against my body where we ear test with no problems) (she yells and struggles and jumps off), with someone else holding or distracting her, etc. Usually she is ok right up until I have the perfect 'skin exposure' and I'm about to stick it in, and then she pulls away just that minute (before I've poked her at all). She just gets mad and tries to scratch or bite, and then I either move the syringe out of her way or pull it out (scared she'll run off with it stuck in her!!) without shooting and then we have to start over again...

I am not keen to do the kitty burrito thing (she hates that) but running out of ideas - I feel so bad that just when she was starting to hit the lower numbers, I have started missing shots I just want the best for her (of course) but I feel like I'm seriously letting her down.

I have considered shaving a little patch so I can get through the fur better/faster (she has short fur, but thick with a dense undercoat/fluff)... is this a good idea??

Please would anyone be kind enough to share any hints or tips that have been successful for you? If it is relevant, I am left handed so usually shoot in her right side/flank area. Thank you so much!!!

 

[grapey]

I like shaving an area around Lily's back neck/shoulders. I feel a lot more confident in what I'm doing. Even after a year I like to keep the hair shaved.

 

[Just-As-Appy]

I found that using short needles and injecting near the top of the tent worked best for me. I started getting sloppy and letting the tip of the needle dip down and I think that I was too near the muscle and Tony began to object. I had to totally recondition him over 2 or 3 days by rolling skin and giving treats. At each meal (he ate every 4 hours) I lifted skin and then gave treats. Once I didn't shoot down he was ok with it again. Fortunately, he was a treat hound and wasn't too hard to convince.

The other thing to check - sometimes if the cat's bg is dipping too low she might begin to the shots with feeling not so good - just a thought. I haven't checked your ss so its just something to check.

 

[Bebe Kaye]

This may sound weird, but I inject in the side of my kitty's tummy...he doesn't even seem to realise what i'm doing and not once has he tried to fight. When he was first diagnosed I did the scruff of neck injections and he fought me tooth and very sharp claw! He has arthritis in his shoulders and I have to wonder if this hurt him in some way.

After research I even found that tummy shots may be better...I found this link if you're interested at all.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm
This is a small excerpt from that page:

Most people, including veterinarians, make the mistake of injecting the insulin into the scruff of the neck. This area has a very poor blood supply and insulin absorption is thus rather erratic from this area. Use an area further back around the hips or flank or, ideally, on the sides of the stomach. Try to rotate sites also, because repeated injections in the same site can cause a "granuloma" or knot of tissue that has poor blood supply (which means the insulin isn't absorbed well).

Hope everything improves!

Bebe and Milo

EDIT: Oh and shaving an area helps so much!

 

[BJM]

If you've got a half bathroom, you might do the tests and shots in there. Not enough room to go far and almost everything will be in reach.

Also, be sure to give a low carb treat after testing, even if you are not successful.

 

[Missy & Jazz]

Thank you all for the helpful replies! Much appreciated :mrgreen:

I have been having more luck last couple of shots, which I am so relieved about.

Grapey & Bebe - thanks for the shaving tip - I think I'll try this (trying to borrow a clipper after my multiple attempts with a razor and surprisingly patient cat resulted in little bits of fur everywhere and only a small patch of marginally shorter hair! :lol: )

Just-As-Appy - good points, thank you. I have reasonably short needles, but have been experimenting after your advice with sticking the needle in not the whole way - seems to help, so thanks! I am also making a point of not sticking it 'down' but more parallel to the body. I have been doing the reconditioning every chance too! She's not big on treats, but likes a scratch/cuddle etc.

That's definitely something to watch for with the low BG/association of shots with not feeling well - I don't think it's the case now (she is still pretty high) but I will keep in mind for future.

Bebe - I've been trying a bit lower (closer to her belly) as you mentioned and it does seem to bother her less - thanks! I've never done the scruff as I did read that link you put (thanks for that!) early days, so have been doing mostly her sides/flanks depending what is 'available' lol.

BJM - thanks for the tips - not sure what a half bathroom is, but I can guess! I do shut the doors of that room when about to give the shot, and she doesn't really go racing off (just the typical out of reach distance of course!). She generally gets some of her wet food after each shot (she's fine with testing, gets lots of cuddles etc), regardless of how it went but that is a very good point.

I've changed the shot routine now in an effort to improve it... now waiting till she's finished all her meal (before, tried while she was still eating), and has settled in her bed... initially I was very reluctant to give her the shots in her bed (wanted her to have a 'safe place' for her to always feel comfortable in) but now that I've tried it, it seems that she is a lot more settled there and doesn't mind as much, which is great. Also it doesn't seem to put her off the bed or make her feel weird about sleeping there at all, which was my concern. I think her major issue with the shots is feeling that she is being 'restrained' - not the shot itself, and when she is lying in her bed there is much less need to actually hold her at all. So I am going with that at the moment and incorporating everyone's suggestions... hoping that it starts to get smoother now! thank you all!