How To Inject Your Diabetic Dog With Insulin: PDSA Petwise Pet Health Hub 

I hate needles also. But I've been able to give my dog shots for a yr now. It gets easier when you know you are doing it to save their life. Best wishes to you and your pup!

@@Ecclectic_Vibes After a year do you still give your pup the shot in the same spot behind his neck? I have only been doing this for less than a week now and my dog is already fighting me and yelping 🥺

@@Larxtine no you need to change areas, or it becomes painful. And can build up scar tissue which affects absorption. I've also found warming up the insulin between my fingers once in the syringe helps it not sting and hurt him. I always give him a freeze-dried liver treat as a reward. I had trouble at first too. But once you see how much better they feel. It gets easier. Also.. Idk if your vet told you but there is a Very good chance your dog will go blind. Mine warned me. It was less then 6 months. You may want to get vitamins that support eye health. Some people have had sucess with it. They also told me I could give him a snack between feedings if he acted hungry. always be sure to check diabetic safe foods now too. It can be so overwhelming! It does get easier. :) let me know if I can be of any help

@@Ecclectic_Vibes I have to start insulin w my pom tonight :( she just went through a big surgery. I would lovve if you’d be open to being pet pals & give me a few pointers

We're glad to hear that it helped, Farah 🐾

Same here. Thank you for making this video.

We're glad that you found it useful, Jody 😊🐾

If you have an appetite for knowlege you could research how to reverse diabetes. That's the bit the vet won't tell you about because it's not financially beneficial.

How is your dog doing? I also have a Westie, she is my whole world. I just found out she has diabetes.

@@peterditzel6931 same!! Also a Westie. Found out today ♥️

We're happy to help, how very exciting! ❤️ Good luck with the meet and greet, we hope that you find your furry match 😄🐾

:)

Thank you so much for subscribing, Heather! 😄 We're really sorry to hear that Copper has recently been diagnosed with Diabetes. We're sending him all of our well-wishes! ❤️🐾

Hi Diane, We are so glad you found this useful 😊

Hi there, thanks for your message. Sadly we are not veterinary trained and we would recommend booking an appointment to speak to a vet regarding the correct and safe administration of your pet's medication. If you are registered with PDSA you can request an appointment from our website using this link: www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/vet-call-back-request Thanks, Clair

I just read one where it killed the person's dog so I don't recommend the auto injection pen

Hi there, Diana! Thanks for getting in touch. 😊 The reason that we recommend pulling back on the plunger before pushing it in (as you give the injection) is to confirm the needle hasn’t entered a blood vessel. There are tiny blood vessels in the skin that can’t be seen by the eye and it is possible for a needle to enter one of these by accident when giving an injection. The insulin injection is designed to go under the skin, not into the bloodstream, so pulling back is recommended to make sure the injection doesn’t go into the blood accidentally. If you have been advised to inject your dog a different way, it’s best to speak to your vet to confirm what’s best for them. The method of injection will depend on a number of factors, such as the temperament of your dog and the type of needles/syringes used. We have included in this video information about how to inject with the most common type of needle and syringe used in the UK and as part of this, we advise that it’s safest to check that the needle hasn’t entered a blood vessel by accident as described in the video. If you have any further questions about what’s right for your dog, we would recommend contacting your vet and following their instructions closely as they will know about your pet’s individual situation and medications. I hope this helps! Many thanks, PDSA 🐾

Hi Bella, thanks for your enquiry, this is a good question. Insulin itself shouldn't have any impact on your dog's mood as such, as by injecting with insulin you are replacing a hormone that should naturally have been produced by an organ called the pancreas. Before diabetes is diagnosed your dog may have been feeling really unwell, sluggish and desperately thirsty a lot of the time, so once your dog starts on insulin they should start to feel a lot better in themselves and as their symptoms start to settle, they should feel more relieved and comfortable. After you've injected with insulin, offer your dog their toy and give them lots of fuss, as being injected each day can get them down, so if you reward the injection with something positive then hopefully they'll associate the injection with something nice, rather than something to be worried about. If your dog appears to be unhappy, moody or their symptoms haven't settled then i'd advise getting them checked by your vet as sometimes it can take the body a while to settle and stabilise and this could have an impact on their behaviour. I hope this helps. Best wishes, Yasmin at PDSA.

Hello. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to give advice about individual cases on our social channels. If you have a concern about your dog’s glucose levels we would recommend contacting your vet for advice as high glucose levels can cause your dog to become ill. You can find some advice about Diabetes on our Pet Health Hub: www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/pet-health-hub/conditions/diabetes-in-dogs. If your dog shows any signs for concern, for example low energy, not eating or being sick, we would recommend getting in touch with your vet as soon as possible. We wish you all the best with his treatment.

My dog had the monitor on him for a few weeks and he was always between 250 and 400 our vet adjusted the insulin level many times but never did well when we went below any of them numbers..so they told us as long as he is acting normal and being himself. Then that just might what it is for him.

Hi there; it’s important to have your dog checked as regularly as your vet suggests. This is to make sure their diabetes is staying well controlled. You can find our full guide to diabetes in dogs on our website here: www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/conditions/diabetes-in-dogs Sending your dog our well-wishes 🐾❤️

Hi, Lori! 😊 The reason that we recommend pulling back on the plunger before pushing it in (as you give the injection) is to confirm the needle hasn’t entered a blood vessel. There are tiny blood vessels in the skin that can’t be seen by the eye and it is possible for a needle to enter one of these by accident when giving an injection. The insulin injection is designed to go under the skin, not into the bloodstream, so pulling back is recommended to make sure the injection doesn’t go into the blood accidentally. Many thanks, PDSA 🐾

I hope you'll ask a vet about this, because from what I've read, diabetes is not reversible in dogs the way it may be in humans. They would still need insulin.

Removing the bubbles is to make sure they get the proper amount of insulin if there are bubbles they take up space so the dose isn’t accurate. It’s no big deal if you forget once or twice but you want to be consistent so that their glucose stays balanced. My dog was diagnosed with diabetes and pancreatitis 2 years ago & he also died. With a lot of practice and some ups and downs & probably a miracle we got him feeling better than he has in years.

It is because they are possibly injecting it too shallowly or injecting it at too much of an angle and it is going into the actual dermis instead of under the skin. They should try to make sure they are inserting the needle entirely and leaving it in the flesh while they inject and until they're finished injecting or else they may lose some insulin or cause pain to the dog.

Hi there, Monica! 😄 We advise you to pull back on the plunger first to check you don't draw any blood back into the syringe - this can mean your needle is inside a small blood vessel. If this does happen, take the needle and syringe out, dispose of it safely in a sharps container, and start the process again. 🐾

Hi Terry, thank you for your question and it's a really important one. When your vet is getting your dog stable with their diabetes it's really important to closely stick to the diet routine that your vet has advised you to follow, as any additional food can cause problems with how stable your dog is with their blood sugar levels. So although your dog won't be able to have additional food or treats, you can instead take them out for an additional short walk to cheer them up and take their mind off food as this is another way to help stabilise your dogs blood sugar and get the diabetes under control. Hope this helps. Best wishes, Yasmin at PDSA.

@@pdsa Oh yes it helps me alot. 🤗 Yes I will do that 👍.Thank you for talking with me. God bless 🙏♥️😃🐕🐾🐾

Hi there, Alex! 😊 Thank you for contacting PDSA. It can be really daunting when your pet is first diagnosed with diabetes, but you'll soon feel more confident in managing their condition. From what you've described, you have done all of the right things. 🐾 When you insert the needle to inject the insulin and drawback on the syringe, there should not be any blood drawn back at all (if there is, you must not inject the insulin) - If the syringe is clear, then it will be safe to inject, as this means that you're not in a blood vessel. If you notice blood at the surface of the skin once you've withdrawn the needle, then it's likely that you've just disturbed a capillary (tiny, thread-like vein) at the surface and this won't cause your dog a problem. The bleeding should stop in a few seconds and if not, use a piece of cotton wool and apply to the area, it will stop any bleeding. I hope this information has been helpful, if you are at all worried or need further advice regarding the management of your dog's diabetes, your vet will always be happy to help you. 🐾

Hi Billy, thanks for your comment. I would advise you speak to your vet regarding this as we are not medically trained on the social media sites. Thanks Nicky

Hi there, Martin 😊 pinch a fold of skin into a tent and insert the needle into the center of the fold. Many thanks, PDSA 🐾

Thanks

Hi 😊 the time of day isn't particularly important, so long as your dog is given his injections twice a day, about 12 hours apart, after a meal 🐾

@@pdsa okay. Thank you!

Thank you for your question, i'm sorry that your dog is yelping; hopefully our suggestions will help going forward. 😥 When injecting your pet with insulin, you will need the needle to go through and into the skin, so they receive their medication. If you repeatedly inject in the same place, your pet may become sore, so try injecting to the left or right of where you'd usually inject and give the area a bit of a rub first, so the needle isn't the first thing they feel. With your one hand, make a small 'tent' with the skin. With your other hand, aim the needle in the centre of that tent, holding your needle at a 45-degree angle to the skin and inserting it to the centre point. Insert the needle, so that the needle goes all the way in, but the skin doesn't need to be pushed up tight against the hub of the needle as that may be uncomfortable. Make sure that you always use a fresh needle every time you inject, as using them again can be an infection risk and the needle can become blunt and painful to use. It's really unlikely that you're pushing the needle in too deep, but if you are worried about your technique ask your vet or vet nurse to watch you, and they may be able to give you further training 😊🐾

Hi there, thanks for your comment. We are not vet trained on the social media platforms and you would need to speak to a vet about this. Thanks Nicky 🐾

It means to pull back the plunger (the part on the top of the syringe that pulls) when filling the syringe with the medication, as long as the end of the needle is in the medication this will pull the medication through into the syringe without any air 😊 Thanks, PDSA 🐾

Hi, Rosa! Thanks for your comment 😊 we’re pleased to hear your dog is stable with her diabetes and that you’ve been able to give her the insulin injections she needs over the years. The reason that we recommend pulling back on the plunger before pushing it in (as you give the injection) is to confirm the needle hasn’t entered a blood vessel. There are tiny blood vessels in the skin that can’t be seen by the eye and it is possible for a needle to enter one of these by accident when giving an injection. The insulin injection is designed to go under the skin, not into the bloodstream, so pulling back is recommended to make sure the injection doesn’t go into the blood accidentally. If you have been advised to inject your dog a different way, it’s best to speak to your vet to confirm what’s best for them. The method of injection will depend on a number of factors, such as the temperament of your dog and the type of needles/syringes used. We have included in this video information about how to inject with the most common type of needle and syringe used in the UK and as part of this, we advise that it’s safest to check that the needle hasn’t entered a blood vessel by accident as described in the video. If you have any further questions about what’s right for your dog, we would recommend contacting your vet and following their instructions closely as they will know about your pet’s individual situation and medications. 😊 Many thanks, PDSA 🐾

@@pdsa Thanks for responding, I have a 5 pound maltese and I inject her above the shoulders and rotate the spot. There is no way that I have enough skin to pick up on her as you have on this dog as shown in your video. So this doesn't work for all dogs. My dog would NEVER sit still long enough for me to do that. I've never noticed any blood coming up on the syringe. Also, I noticed you didn't mention testing the dog's glucose before the injection. You should NEVER inject without testing the blood level first. What if the dog was too low and you gave a full dose which would result in hypoglycemia and possible death. This is why we test before every meal twice a day. Just wanted to make sure that people with diabetes never know about this from vet office or vet tech.

Very ignorant comment, my dog has never strayed from her natural diet and still got diabetes.

Where did you go to vet school

This is incorrect, autoimmune disorders, genetic disorders, and even brain tumors like my dog has, can cause diabetes.