Hey Doc, doggy question

[Catonahottinroof]

My 7 y/o chocolate lab was diagnosed with diabetes early in the summer. He's adapted well to diet changes and more exercise, has lost 17 pounds from 102 to 85 lbs.
Since losing the weight, the scruff around his neck, haunches is significantly less, and giving him injections is becoming a chore.
He's smart, and knows the routine, becomes less submissive, will always face you at a distance. He's a real beast when it comes time give him an injection now.
Any strategies to make this easier on him, and my wife and I?

[Doc]

You can give the insulin at any site. I commonly use the top of the neck. Just pull the skin up and it will form a triangle, give the injection at the base of that triangle. But you can give it in the shoulder, back leg, flank, etc......


Also, give him a treat right after the injection. He will come to associate the injection with a treat, sort of a Pavlovian/conditioned response thing.

[Catonahottinroof]

Thanks Doc.
We work that angle too. He becomes fixed on the treat, but disengages when he feels us pinch his scruff.

[Doc]

the other option is the fake scratch move. scratch, scratch scratch...stick. Insulin can go either under the skin (SQ as you likely are doing) or you can give it in the muscle where the massage, massage, massage..stick move works.

[Darrell KSR]

the other option is the fake scratch move. scratch, scratch scratch...stick. Insulin can go either under the skin (SQ as you likely are doing) or you can give it in the muscle where the massage, massage, massage..stick move works.

I think that's what they did to me when I got my flu shot.

[Doc]

In humans, one trick that works is to ice it down just prior. I had one shot I had to take twice weekly in my stomach fat that burned like hell. I'd run an ice cube on it for about 10 sec prior and it didn't both me as much.