I fear that I will be having tenting issue to shoot Casey

[my Casey bear]

I will be receive Casey's insulin on Tuesday, via mail, and would like to begin her shots that night after work. The problem I am fearing it that I will have trouble tenting & shooting. I have limited mobility and dexterity with my right hand and have learned to do most thing with just my left, but from what I understand the tenting & shooting is a 2 hands job. I have been trying to practice tenting on Casey, and I tell you...I have been having difficulty tenting even with my good hand (I am not finding very much loose skin), on to mention the transfer & imaginary injection.

I read that some of you had mentioned on Terri and Kit's thread that some people just shoot, no tent. Could someone explain how this is done? Or do any suggestions on how I might do this 1 hand??

I am asking this now so I won't have to be frantic and uptight trying to give her the shot on Tues night because I know that my anxieties get her worked up as well; I guess I want to be as relaxed and comfortable as I can so that cantransfer to her.

Roberta
and Casey

 

[totallybeachin]

Re: I fear that I will be having tenting issue to shoot Case

I'm not sure if tis will be helpful to you or not, but I didn't really feel like I had the whole "tenting" thing down properly myself.

It was obvious to me that Callie Mae was indeed getting insulin, that was reflected in her bg readings, but what I did was "pull her hair" so to speak. I always felt that I was getting to much skin or muscle or whatever when trying the methods in the videos.
I just pinched a little amount of hair at her scruff and pulled on it. It made a little "pocket" (tent) that I shot into.
If I tried to pinch her "skin", it just didn't feel the same to me. This is how I started out shooting, but I noticed that sometimes she would make a little "mew" cry. Once I started pinching the fur, instead of her "body" it just seemed easier and she never made the cry noise again.

Maybe if you have *enough* mobility in the one hand to just pinch and pull kitty's hair, that might help?

 

[Ann & Scatcats]

Re: I fear that I will be having tenting issue to shoot Case

I honest to god have no solution for you, I also have neck and arm disabilities, but so far have been able to roll up the skin with my left and right hand and shot with my right hand. I roll up the skin instead of making a tent.

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

Re: I fear that I will be having tenting issue to shoot Case

If you can hold the needle nearly parallel to the skin, you can shoot by separating the hairs, then push needle just under the skin where you can see skin between the hair. This works best on the side of the body behind the front legs, you do not have to shoot in the scruff. The just under the skin method works best with short needles, 5/16th length I believe the measurement is. Although it may be more difficult with a short haired cat. Gandalf is long haired and I find this method much easier and less apt to give fur shots than tenting, which he hated and I hated. I used to pull up on the hairs once I separated them, but I no longer do that anymore either.

It's a matter of what you can figure out works best for you & Casey, but everyone here has great tips and ideas, so I'm sure something someone suggests will work for you!

 

[Terri&Kit]

Re: I fear that I will be having tenting issue to shoot Case

I may end up trying no tent just shoot if I can find the right spot to try. Kit lays there and purrs when I check his bg, but he hates getting the shots. I've noticed that he doesn't really mind the needle that much, but he hates me pulling on his skin. Trying to scruff him is glutton for punishment too. Of course his PMPS is too low to shoot him tonight, so we will start experimenting tomorrow.