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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

any Vets about- need urgent advice!!!

12 replies

tink123 · 17/06/2011 22:44

I am helping look after a friend's dog as they have gone down the country. The dog is diabetic on twice daily insulin. Tried to give it tonight and the dog tried to bite me everytime. Also it wriggled when held and the insulin needle flew out my hand.

I am not happy trying again, and know that dog will probably have to be admitted to vets for three days until owner returns.

Is there any secret way of giving it?

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chickchickchicken · 17/06/2011 23:31

dont have personal experience of this. are you able to ring your friend and ask her advice on best way to administer it? are you on your own with the dog, if so could you ask a neighbour/friend to help hold the dog?

i dont know anything about diabetes in dogs but with regard to giving medicine in general i always pick up dog's bowl and fill it with food and leave on the worktop. i then give medicine as my greedy dog will be more focused on food than anything else

just thought i would reply until someone more knowledgeable comes along

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tink123 · 17/06/2011 23:36

Thanks for that. Friend is miles away. We will ring them in the morning, but there is no way they will get back before Monday. I had two people with me and we tried everything to tempt the dog, but I am terrified of dog biting me (have had phobia of bites since cat bit me a few years ago, and it became seriously infected).

Even a muzzle wouldn't help due to wiggling dog, plus I am worried I break it's temper to a point where the owner will have trouble giving injections in future.

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Lizcat · 18/06/2011 13:38

I hope you have got hold of your friends vet. It sounds like the dog is picking up on your nervousness to be honest with you as diabetic dogs tend not to notice the injection as the needle is really small. My diabetic patients I advocate putting the food down and then injecting whilst they are eating.

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alice15 · 18/06/2011 14:52

Not giving the insulin for a day or so is less of a problem than giving an overdose, so it's not the end of the world if you miss a dose or two. Take care not to inject yourself accidently! I hope you have got hold of the owner and got some advice now.

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Fifis25StottieCakes · 18/06/2011 18:59

Hi ive gave my mams huskie insulin in the past. I just used to pretend i was stroking it, get him calm then hold the scruff of the neck and straight in with the needle. I agree it will be picking up on you being nervous. I had to be trained by the vet to do it for 2 days with my mam and was nervous as hell at first.

Ring the vet and ask if you can just nip in and they give him it. My vets have an ambulance service so might be worth asking if anyone is available through them. Hope your sorted by now

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tink123 · 18/06/2011 21:43

Sorry about delay in reply. I took dog to vets and it took two staff to inject him and one ended up with scratch. They gave him an increased dose of insulin, and say he should be ok until monday morning. If he gets ill, we can take him to 24hr vet. Thanks for replies and concern :)

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chickchickchicken · 18/06/2011 22:16

great news

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ChristianSalvesen62 · 18/06/2011 22:24

Hi, my dog is diabetic and on twice daily injections. Wish I'd sen this last night, sorry.

I wouldn't be happy with what the vet has told you, because, by giving an increased dose of insulin, the dog could have a hypo and end up in a coma, surely?

The easiest way to inject is to get the dog up on a table, have one person firmly hold the dog in a sitting position, with one arm around the bottom and back legs and the other under the chin and up so that they are holding the dog over the ear and head, into their shoulder. This way you can easily get a bit of 'scruff' and inject quickly. The dog won't be able to squirm if held firmly.

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ChristianSalvesen62 · 18/06/2011 22:25

seen this last night - sorry, typing too fast!

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tink123 · 18/06/2011 22:41

By increased dose, I should have added that the owner had been giving him the wrong dose for past six weeks so dose given today was dose that dog should have been having anyway.

I won't be injecting him again. Vets said not to try it. I do not want to break dog's temper as would be worried that even owner would not be able to give him injections.

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ChristianSalvesen62 · 18/06/2011 23:03

Don't blame you. Wriggling dogs are a nightmare!!

How did the vet know that the dog had been having the wrong dose? And how many units did the vet increase it by? Just nosy interested.

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tink123 · 18/06/2011 23:07

The dog should have been on 12iu twice a day but owner was giving 7iu twice daily so in some ways it is a blessing that the dog wouldn't take it's insulin because it has now been picked up.

I have worked as a nurse specializing in diabetes for 4 years, but it is so much easier giving it an injection to a human. Dogs are a different matter, aren't they :)