Needle length

[Evie Corso]

I am using the 1/2” needles I got from the vet, but am looking for some that I can microdose more easily. I did great with the nice U40 syringes that were widely space, but we are using U100 insulin now. If I go down to a 5/16” (8mm) long needle instead of the 1/2” (12.7mm), will I have trouble getting it deep enough? It’s easy to find the 5/16” but not the 1/2”. Any recommendations?

 

[alexthecat]

I started out with 1/2 inch needles and then switched to 5/16 inch. I don't have a preference, but the shorter needles seem more comfortable for Cleo. She is a longhaired cat and I really can't see what I'm doing when I inject her. I can feel the needle pierce her skin though, so I'm confident with the shorter needles. I think you would be too. You've been doing this for a while and I'm sure you know what you're doing.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

The 8mm are fine......I'm currently using 6mm and human needles (like the special pen needles)are even shorter at 4mm

The insulin just has to get under the skin into the subcutaneous layer. In cats, skin thickness ranges from 0.4 to 3.6 mm depending on location.

The tricky part comes when you have a long haired cat and you're not used to the "feel" when you pierce the skin. The easy fix for that is to shave a small patch so you can easily see the skin and learning that "feel" when the needle pops through the skin

 

[Evie Corso]

Awesome. She is short-haired, so I’ll give the shorter needles a try. That brings up a different question then. Is there a best location for the shorter needles?