Administer your own shots?

[Koontzy]

anyone administer their own shots? if so how exactly do ya do it?

thanks

[Big Dog]

I administer everything to my dogs except rabies shots. 1st of all use a different needle on each dog. Take the needle and draw the fluid out of the bottle into the syringe. Hold the needle, tip up and look at the syringe. Now push the plunger forward until the fluid is up flush with the base of the needle.(if air bubbles are present tap the syring with your finger until they are gone). Now you are ready for the dog. Get a good grip on the dog so that they can't move suddenly and then grab the loose skin behind the neck near the shoulder blades. Pinch that loose skin so that you have some between your forefinger and thumb of the hand that doesn't hold the needle. Take the needle and insert it just below the skin that you have pinched.(YOu should feel the needle when it punctures through the skin) Note: (Do not stab or jab the dog just apply pressure until the needle breaks through) You do not need to go deep with the needle either, just make sure that the needle tip has punctured the outer layer of skin and you should be okay. Now, Push the plunger on the syring forward injecting the fluid under the skin(subcutaneous) of the dog. Then pull the needle out. I am by no means a vet or a doctor, but that is how my vet instructed me to do it. It will feel uncomfortable at first but you get used to it. Intramuscular shots are different and I don't do them.

Big Dog

[Emery]

There are new thought processes for shots these days. I noticed when I was out in ID that they do a lot more of the IM (in the muscle) then Sub Q (just under the skin). I guess it depends on when they got out of vet school. Different vets do things differently. But, I guess for years most of the shots were Sub Q and the dogs didn't die from lack of protection, so either way works, one must just be more efficient than the other as far as absorption is concerned. Big Dog pretty well explained how to draw and administer shots, so I won't go into that. Just make sure that you clean the area you are going to inject and use a different needle each time. Keeps the chance of infections down.

Emery

[beaglehandler]

I know my cousin raises bird dogs, one of his dogs sired a litter of pups and he split the pups with the dams owner. The dams owner took his pups to the vet and got shots and all lived. My cousin went to farm store and bought shots and gave them and all his pups died. Our vet told us that if the vaccines are not handle and stored properly that they are useless to give. I also am not a vet, but the explanation our vet gave seemed logical to me.

[alswamper]

Probably did seem logical since they are making lots of money by giving shots. Here, it is $21 for shots at last check and that don't include rabies. I can give the same for $3 and 5 minutes of my time. That is $18 savings multiplied by 9 dogs.

It is true, they can go bad if not handled properly but the vet can also make a mistake as I know several pups that have died after going to the vet. Find a good feed store that you trust is my advice.

[beaglehandler]

I will pay the vet who is schooled for that purpose. Who would let someone other than a doctor or dentist work on them. I have been trained to give shots and still pay the vet. To each his own.

[Steve C.]

I'm with Big Dog here. I'll gladly pay the vet for rabies shots as it's his insurance policy I'm looking for there, but to pay a vet for giving routine 5 ways is like taking your dog to the vet to trim his nails or worming him.

[Big Dog]

I normally order my shots and have them shipped next day air, the same as the vet does. I don't trust the feed and seed stores so I don't buy my shots from them. I don't knock those who do. I have seen plenty of pups vaccinated bya vet die from Parvo so their are no guarantees, but like Alswamper said, I am not going to give the vet $21 a shot for 5 pups and then repeat the cycle 2 or 3 more times for the remaining pups. It's just not cost effective. My vet charges $7 for rabies shots and I can live with that, because I have to, but I definitely can't afford to pay 21.00 for a 5 way or 7 way shot. Especially when I can do all of my pups in about 10 minutes, and for about $3.00 per pup. Sounds like highway robbery to me.

Big Dog

[DarrinG]

I do like Kim does...I order all my shots next day air and I also request the supplier pack them in a styrofoam cooler with an EXTRA ice pack. My vaccines have always arrived still very cold and fine and have never had a problem. The only shots my vet does to my hounds is rabies.

[daustin]

I will pay the vet who is schooled for that purpose. Who would let someone other than a doctor or dentist work on them. I have been trained to give shots and still pay the vet. To each his own.

Just wondering how many dogs you have. I can understand going to the vet if you only have a few dogs. But if you are like some of the folks on here with 5+ dogs I can see paying a vet for that. If you think about it, $30 a dog x 5 dogs that $150 for routine shots that would cost you under $30 or so to buy and administer yourself.

Just my 2 cents.

Dane

[Robert W. Mccoy Jr]

I do all my shots my self.

I have my shots shipped next day air.

Never had a problem.

[Ranger]

I give all of my shots also and only take a dog to the vet for a rabies when I am getting him/her ready for shipment. I've been doing this for several years now and have never had a problem.

[DG TX]

Worst place to buy vaccine is in a feed store. Had good luck from JEFFERSPETS.COM

[NC Beagler]

I administer all my dogs shots except rabies. I buy the shots at Tractor Supply Co. (TSC). So far I have had good success and saved a bundle!
Most dogs don't seem to really mind get a shot. If you have one that is more difficult, get someone to assist you my talking to the dog and tapping on the top of it head w/ their fingers - really does work!
-Pete

[Blu Tick Beagler]

I guess I'm lucky. I happen to have a vet that doesn't really care much about the money. He does tell me how he sees it though. He told me many years ago where to buy my shot so I know they are not useless when I get them. He allows me to pick up any medication I need(antibotics,cortizone, etc) without an office call. He has it in a syringe and ready to give to the dog. He did tell me that I'm waisting my time and money with yearly shots in older dogs. He said" do you go back every year and get a measles or polio booster?" Just a way for other vets and pet medication companies to make money off of you. I follow the shot chart until the dog is 2. (except rabies every 3 years and this is only to protect me) Then I'm done, and never had a problem.