problems with aggressive dog injections

[shadowsden]

I AM having major problems getting my Gray Wolf Shadow to accept injections. Shadow normally allows me to muzzle her for most things as she knows i am trying to help and she can't stop from trying to bite me but with the injections, she has become more aggressive over the last month since diagnosed. She did not mind shots at first now She snaps when i try to muzzle her. Then even muzzled she growls and jumps at me making me pull back and needle slips. i have no help with holding her and its very tramatic for me and her. She starts watching me suspiciously at the normal injection times. One time I just did not do the injection and the next day when it was past time, she even put her snoot near the muzzle to get the injection so I think she understood she needed it. But then the next time it was a warzone again. Does anyone have any idea why she acts this way and suggestions to stop it. I've done everything including treats after, warming needle, hours of petting before. Of course strangers like the vet don't see any problem as she is the most cooperative critter they could every meet. I think vet thinks I'm crazy because she is so easy for them to muzzle and work with. I gave the shot in her office yesterday to make sure I did it right and of course not one problem but at home she turns to Cujo.

[k9diabetes]

Re: problems with aggressive dog injections

We have just been having a long discussion in Everything Else about a pair of dogs fighting and how medication has been very helpful for my dog with his anxiety. This might be something to consider for your dog - it can't be pleasant for her to be so anxious all of the time.

Has her thyroid level been checked recently?

Hypothyroid can commonly go along with diabetes - these endocrine disorders tend to bunch together - and hypothyroid can make a dog more aggressive. As can pain from something else.

My dog, who is not diabetic but who has fear aggression issues, is much better behaved at the vet and other unfamiliar environments where he "stuffs" his fear instead of acting on it. At home, he acts on his fears. So there could be some of that dynamic going on. It could also be that she knows that this works to stop the shots. She doesn't like them and goes with what works.

In which case sometimes it's just a matter of refusing to give up and continuing to try to find ways to distract her or reward her for good behavior.

My diabetic dog was a breeze to deal with but the dog I have now... injections could definitely be a problem if he were to become diabetic and home testing might not be possible.

Injecting while eating or a reward after can sometimes work.

Some people have gotten their dogs used to injections by doing many many "pretend shots" where they go through the motions with a capped syringe until the dog gets used to this and then slowly move on to real injections.

So all we can really do is list a ton of little tricks that individually or combined might work. Think specifically about your dog - what does she view as a reward? Would she preferred to be more restrained or less restrained maybe while being injected? Is there a room where she would be more comfortable? Would eating distract her enough to give the shot while she's eating?

Eventually, everyone I know has found something that worked for them.

Hang in there,

Natalie

[CarolW]

Re: problems with aggressive dog injections

I thought Natalie's post to you was excellent. By the way, IS your dog actually a grey wolf? Or is that her name? or is she a hybrid?

I wonder if you could use one of those automatic injecters? Referred to in a couple of other threads here recently - Autoject, and Inject-Ease, I think they're called.

Welcome! I trust you'll find really useful help here.

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:34:53 (PST)

[Dollydog]

Re: problems with aggressive dog injections

Hello....
My dog started fighting injections because I wasn't moving the injection site around enough. After 2-3 months she started really fighting them and I discovered that once I had a rotation of 4 different sites the shots became easier. She was busy eating her dry food (with a little treat on top) while the injection took place. She was a small dog and needed a lot of insulin so I needed her to be busy while I did the injection. She stood on the same mat on a counter or table or the tailgate of the truck, with her food....she was most content when she knew exactly what was going to happen and how it happened.
Of course I needed a journal to remind me where I had done the injection previously!
Wishing you all the best,
Jo-Ann