How To Give An Aggressive Dog An Insulin Shot?

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Diabetes can be a debilitating condition in dogs. Learn how to give an aggressive dog an insulin shot in the article below.

Nearly one in 300 dogs have diabetes. The more we shower our pets with junk food and keep them safe from the elements, the more the instances of obesity and diabetes go up. 

Like humans, dogs also need insulin shots to prevent the symptoms of diabetes from growing and getting aggressive. You should consult your vet before you start giving insulin to your dog. Dogs can be very fussy and stubborn when it comes to giving them medicine. The majority of dogs are afraid of injections and insulin shots. Due to this, they can be very aggressive and uncooperative at times. 

But you can easily give your dog an insulin shot by distracting him and following the steps given here. This article will highlight how you can carefully administer an insulin shot to your aggressive dog. 

How To Give An Insulin Shot To Your Dog?

Here is a step-by-step guide to giving your dog insulin.

  • Step 1: The ideal way to administer the shot is by distracting your dog in some other activity. Try to give them their favorite chew toy, make them sit in their favorite spot and do anything else they like.
  • Step 2: To give your difficult dog an insulin shot, you need to place the needle and hold it in your dominant hand. 
  • Step 3: After keeping your needle in your dominant hand then, you can wrap your free hand around the neck of your dog. You can also have a firmer grip on the back and shoulder of your dog. 
  • Step 4: You can also grab one fold of your dog’s neck. You should try and insert the needle at an angle of 45 degrees. A 45-degree angle is ideal for inserting a needle into the skin. 
  • Step 5: You should keep in mind that you can pull the plunger slightly backward before you give your dog insulin. You do have to ensure that you can draw out your dog’s blood in the syringe. If you are drawing out blood, then this signifies that you have hit a blood vessel. 
  • Step 6: Then ideally, you should find another area for giving the insulin shot. After you have the new injecting place on your dog, then you should push down on the plunger with the help of your thumb. 
  • Step 7: Then you remove the needle again. Make sure that you are removing the needle at a 45-degree angle. After using the needle, you should dispose of the needle safely. Needle disposing of is a crucial stage in maintaining the hygiene and safety of your dog. 

How To Administer Insulin Safely To Your Dogs?

Choose a new spot every time.

If you have to give your dog insulin again, make sure that you choose a different spot for giving the insulin. You can go for areas other than the back and shoulders of your dog, such as the side skin on the chest and abdomen of your dog. 

After giving the insulin shot to your dog, you can also reward your dog. Whether you want to reward your dog with a small or large treat is up to you. 

Sometimes praising your dog can also be an essential step to reinforcing your dog with a positive affirmation. This can also lead to a change in the behavior of your dog. 

Things You Need To Remember For Giving Your Dog An Insulin Injection

Injecting your dog with an insulin shot can haunt you as a dog owner. If you are never given an insulin shot to your dog, then you can make this task easier for you by following these simple steps. 

  • You need to stay and remain calm. If you stay relaxed, then your dog will reciprocate the same energy. Dogs have a very strong sense, and they can gauge whether you are scared or anxious. You are relaxing and taking a few deep breaths before giving the insulin shot.
  • Try and create a positive association with your dog. You can try to distract your dog and give them the insulin shot while eating a meal or during a meal. You can also feed your dog with their favorite meals or a favorite snack while giving them their insulin shot. Providing your dog with a full meal is a must before giving them insulin injections. 
  • Suppose you have taught your dog some basic techniques or commands that you will find giving the insulin shot easier. Regularly giving your dog insulin shots can make them agitated and aggressive. Simple commands such as making your dog sit or stay can make the whole process simple for you. With the help of orders, you’ll be able to control your dogs. 
  • If your dog is getting too aggressive, you can ask for help from your friends or family members. They can help you by holding the dog in the place to give the insulin shot. Dogs can make sudden movements when you are giving them an injection. This can create complications for your dog. 

Steps That You Should Follow To Give Insulin To Dogs

  • Remember to always use a new syringe and needle. If you follow this protocol, your dog will be safe from contamination and infection. It also creates a sterile environment for your dog. 
  • After selecting a new syringe and needle, you need to unwrap them and make sure that your needle stays capped until you are ready to add insulin to the injection.
  • You need to now carefully roll the bottle of insulin in your hands. You need to follow and do this so that the hormones are correctly mixed in the bottle. You don’t have to shake the medicine as that is not necessary. 
  • You can proceed and remove the needle cap now. After this, fill the injection with insulin from the medicine bottle. You need to draw the plunger backward and slowly. You don’t need to fill the air in the injection. Filling the injection with air can be dangerous. You need to make sure that you only fill the shot with medicine. Holding the bottle of insulin upside down can be helpful to you in doing so

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you give uncooperative dog insulin?

Do it when they are contented (like after a meal) and distracted by a toy or anything else they like.

Ideally, you should give your dog an insulin shot during or after a meal. The easiest method to give your dog an insulin shot is to provide them with this injection while they are distracted. 

If your dog is uncooperative while administering an insulin shot, you can seek the help of any other person. This other person can hold and keep the dog stable while giving them the insulin shot.

How do you give an aggressive dog an injection?

The best way is to first calm them down with their favorite things.

The best way to deal with an aggressive dog while giving them an injection is to deal with them calmly. Modifying the behavior of a dog can be very complicated. This also depends on whether your dog reacts positively to praise and rewards. You can work on behavior modification and rewarding the dog once you have administered an insulin shot.

Is there an alternative to insulin injections for dogs?

Yes, acarbose can be used in place of insulin shots.

Yes, there are alternatives available to insulin shots for dogs. Acarbose is a substance created and developed for the treatment of obesity. This substance is a good sugar absorber. Once it enters your body, this compound interferes with obese dogs. You should feed your dog with Acarbose, and this compound is beneficial for both cats and dogs.

A Few Final Words

Dogs suffering from diabetes are incapable of making insulin in sufficient amounts. Since your dog cannot make insulin, you will need to give them insulin shots. I hope this article clears things up for you and you can look after your dog properly. 

Thank you for reading, we hope we covered all of your questions if you have pending doubts, please write to us and we will revert quickly.

Giving dogs any type of medicine can be challenging. We have written about other medicines such as Ivermectin, Bactine, LA 200, Heartworm preventive, etc., and the best way to give your dog each of these. Do read and keep your dog safe.