Sub q tips

[mrw5641]

Hi all! Starting to give our cat allergy shots today and it was a bit difficult.

Does anyone have personal experience with giving injections?

Is there anything besides blood to look for to indicate that we are not in the sub q layer?

 

[Jem]

I've given both fluids and medications. I just ensured that I pulled the skin up enough, and kept the syringe at a 45 degree angle to ensure I didn't hit anything I shouldn't.

What was difficult about it? Did kitty co-operate? Did you draw blood? Depending on what was difficult we may be able to specify some tips.

 

[mrw5641]

Jem thank you! 45 degree going up or down?

Is there anything other than blood to worry about in the syringe?

I had the need in, pulled back and he moved forward. I'm thinking of a crate or laundry basket.

 

[artiemom]

Omgosh. I wish you live and luck with this.

For Artie; I warmed the bag, leaving the line outside the 4 quart pot I used. I used hot tap water for at least 10 minutes, until it was warm.

I ran the cold solution out of the line. I put the bag on a wire hanger, took a magic marker to mark the line unit he needed. It was easier to see when it was running.
I got Artie when he was relaxed and napping. I put hooks at all his hangouts. I had them every where. I usugot him when he was napping on his cat tree. Sometimes on the sofa, a few times on my bed.

I used to hang the hanger, with the IV bag, in the curtain rod. So much easier for us


I also got the thinner needles: it was Termuno 20 gauge. I am not sure they still sell them. They were the ultra thin needles.

I was very fortunate. Artie seemed to understand I was trying to help him. He never put up a fight.

These are all the tips I can give you.
Wishing you love, good thoughts for you and your baby—- especially in the New Year.

((((hugs)))))

Patient fin my typos. On my phone.

 

[artiemom]

Oh!!! I pulled the e skin up—- tenting. I put the needle in parallel to his body. Not at a 45 degree angle. I did not want to hit his spine. Well maybe not exactly parallel, but close to it. I inserted the needle at the junction wher the skin is close to the body. Then I turned the drip on. If it was not correct, I discovered it immediately.

 

[artiemom]

Meds— never did with Artie, but did do insulin shots with Pumpkin.
same procedure with the needle: tent and then at 30 degree angle. Make sure you draw back on syringe, so that no blood, before injecting.

hope these things help you.

 

[artiemom]

I hope this helps you. Love you baby as long as you can.

 

[Jem]

The only thing I knew to look for was blood when pulling back...that, and I would always flick the syringe with the needle pointing up to get rid of any air bubbles first.
And it's no more than a 45 degree angle downwards, and really, it was probably a bit less. You want to make sure it goes under the skin, but does not hit muscle or bone.
If the angle is not enough, you could end up just going thru the skin rather than under it. And if angled too much, well, you hit bone/muscle.
My boy had a lot of extra skin, so I could really pull the skin up (tenting) creating a big gap between the skin and body.

As for the pulling back on the plunger, have you been able to get the knack of only using one hand with the needle so you can hold kitty a bit with the other?
As for kitty trying to get away. For my boy, I would sit on the floor, cross my legs, and place him in my lap (his favorite place), or if he was already in a comfy spot, just try to get it done as quickly as possible. One thing I learned was the more you try to restrain, the more they will try to get away.
Do you have anyone who can help keep kitty calm and hold on/distract him? I question if a laundry basket is a good idea, if kitty decides to jump out of it while you have the needle in him. Better he run away and the needle just slips out rather than him jump and you accidentally jab him.....but you know him best...if he's a basket lover, then he may stay put.

Then there's to good 'ol "purrito"...where you wrap him in a towel or blanket.

 

[BlackCatOp]

Also, when pulling back on syringe if you have a “vacuum” effect then you know your injection in the cat. If you pull back and get air (no resistance on plunger) then you have pierced through onto the other side and the injection is going to go “intra-fur”.
As far as the angle, it’s kinda a personal preference. Do what works for you and your cat.

 

[mrw5641]

BlackCatOp what do you mean by intra fur? Sub q layer?

 

[LTS3]

There are sub q tips here: Subcutaneous Fluids – IBDKitties

 

[BlackCatOp]

BlackCatOp what do you mean by intra fur? Sub q layer?

Sorry, “Intra-fur” as in the fur of the cat. The needle goes thru the tent made and out the other side.

 

[mrw5641]

Thanks all. So pretty much look for blood in the syringe as an indicator of being in the wrong spot.

 

[Meowmee]

Hi all! Starting to give our cat allergy shots today and it was a bit difficult.

Does anyone have personal experience with giving injections?

Is there anything besides blood to look for to indicate that we are not in the sub q layer?

I inject myself and have injected my kitties with epogen. It is easy peasy, go to a fatty area, I used to do near the back of neck area a bit further back as I recall . You can pulll back a bit first to make sure you are not in a blood vessel. I never did on me or kitties though, the needles I use are tiny and the doses small. Maybe have your dvm or a tech train you if you are worried.

 

[artiemom]

Maybe have your dvm or a tech train you if you are worried.

That is a great idea.. I asked one of the Vet techs to come out to my house, for instruction. It was a bit expensive, but she only came 4 times... Artie was a pain for the staff, but he was so good for me..

I did the sub-q's when he was relaxed...

When I did the insulin with Pumpkin, it took 2 of us.. one to find her, grab her, hold her down, and the other to inject. Eventually, she got used to it, but she was getting sicker, also...

With sub-q's you can also give treats, if possible, while the fluids are running..

 

[kittenmittens84]

Once you do a few you’ll be able to feel when it’s in the sub q layer. It’ll get easier so don’t panic if the first shot is hard. Insulin needles are easy because they’re tiny but my other cat I had to give sub q shots in a larger needle and he’d try to bolt when I got the needle in, so we started putting a soft sided recovery cone on him at shot time. He thought he couldn’t run while wearing it which was perfect, and I’d put a treat or a piece of chicken in front of him to distract him. Cone > chicken > shot > remove cone worked pretty well once we got it down.

 

[mrw5641]

These are for allergy shots. I'm going to call the vet tomorrow to see if he can walk me through it and or I can bring him in for a quick tutorial.

He mentioned something about getting a clear liquid in the syringe meaning that's also the wrong spot so that's what I'm not sure about.

 

[mrw5641]

I was getting all worked up for no reason. When he said clear liquid he meant when I give the injection not when I pull back the plunger.

 

[cat nap]

You could also watch some Youtube videos on 'giving a cat allergy shots'.
When you actually watch a few of the videos...then it really helps to...visualize...and see how others have done it.

I don't own these, but something like this might help:

I also like this one...but there are many where you can get extra tips from:

 

[gilmargl]

Excellent videos! I was hoping somebody would find some helpful films for you. Perhaps TCS can do a "CAT ARTICLE" on this subject. More and more vets are asking pet owners to give their cats injections and fluids.

I can only add that a sick cat is far easier to treat than a relatively healthy, lively animal. I am hopeless at sticking needles in cats so I enlist the help of someone who is not so squeamish. I hold the cat and a friend or neighbor - a doctor's nurse, nurse or vet technician - deals with the apparatus and needles. People, who regularly deal with human patients, are not so worried about doing something wrong, though they are often bothered by the fact that a cat - and especially, a kitten - is so small.

Good luck!