Re: Niki's story
Hi Dolly,
I've put a great deal of thought, study and experimentation into making injections as painless as possible for Kumbi. He helps me, because he complains vocally when it hurts. If the injection doesn't actively hurt, but feels bad in some way, Kumbi shudders while I finish the injection. I consider that a situation that needs improvement, also.
Factors that affect pain include:
ANY air in the syringe that gets injected seems to cause pain. I use a magnifying glass, and really take my time to make sure all air bubbles are excluded (you know - flick the syringe with a finger, holding it needle-up - and I do this AFTER withdrawing the needle from the vial - wasting just a bit of insulin, because I draw up a bit more than I need).
I think it was Kathy who mentioned that Lucky couldn't stand fo have skin pinched up. But I pinch up skin on Kumbi, for every shot. He's used to it, and says it doesn't hurt. Being used to it is a major factor. Do you pinch up skin on Niki? I'm curious.
I actually pinch up skin into a single fold, parallel to the spine, as in the main picture on this page:
http://www.coherentdog.org/vek/tentskin.php
That's Kwali, not Kumbi, but it was the best picture I had!
And it's apparently not what's meant by "tenting the skin," which, apparently, means pulling up the skin nto a kind of point, or summit!
SOMETIMES (not always), you can desensitize a dog to having skin pinched up.
The next factor would be the angle at which you insert the needle. I think it was Kathy who mentioned keeping the bevel up. I didn't find that necessary with Kumbi. Kathy's illustrations show her going into Lucky's side at practically a 90-degree angle.
This picture:
http://www.coherentdog.org/vek/placeneedle.php
shows more like a 45-degree angle. But I found that tends to make Kumbi hurt (!) Then I remembered I used to shoot more at a 90-degree angle, or nearly so, so I changed my angle again, to nearly 90-degrees - and SURE ENOUGH, the injections stopped hurting!
Finally, how are you warming the insulin? Do you have it really well above room temperature? I warm the filled syringe in my armpit for about 30 seconds, and when I'm through, the filled part of the syringe feels VERY distinctly warm to my fingers.
Of course, also, once you insert the needle, you need to hold everything steady so the needle doesn't wiggle around in the flesh while you press the plunger. And presing, you need to go at a moderate pace, not too fast, not too slow. Too fast, it probably feels like a bullet. Too slow, it probably just takes too long, and makes the dog want to wiggle, or something!
I found the instructions on the BD site quite useful.
http://www.bddiabetes.com/us/main.aspx?cat=1&id=394
But you've probably been there more than once! I can't really understand the pictures of pinching up skin in that series - can't really see what is being done, but it seems some people can!
So really, all I can suggest is that you experiment some. I agree, it's really tough when there's no fat at all, and maybe you need to use the scruff area till Niki puts on a little more weight.
Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:29:24 (PST)
Hi Dolly,
I've put a great deal of thought, study and experimentation into making injections as painless as possible for Kumbi. He helps me, because he complains vocally when it hurts. If the injection doesn't actively hurt, but feels bad in some way, Kumbi shudders while I finish the injection. I consider that a situation that needs improvement, also.
Factors that affect pain include:
ANY air in the syringe that gets injected seems to cause pain. I use a magnifying glass, and really take my time to make sure all air bubbles are excluded (you know - flick the syringe with a finger, holding it needle-up - and I do this AFTER withdrawing the needle from the vial - wasting just a bit of insulin, because I draw up a bit more than I need).
I think it was Kathy who mentioned that Lucky couldn't stand fo have skin pinched up. But I pinch up skin on Kumbi, for every shot. He's used to it, and says it doesn't hurt. Being used to it is a major factor. Do you pinch up skin on Niki? I'm curious.
I actually pinch up skin into a single fold, parallel to the spine, as in the main picture on this page:
http://www.coherentdog.org/vek/tentskin.php
That's Kwali, not Kumbi, but it was the best picture I had!
And it's apparently not what's meant by "tenting the skin," which, apparently, means pulling up the skin nto a kind of point, or summit!
SOMETIMES (not always), you can desensitize a dog to having skin pinched up.
The next factor would be the angle at which you insert the needle. I think it was Kathy who mentioned keeping the bevel up. I didn't find that necessary with Kumbi. Kathy's illustrations show her going into Lucky's side at practically a 90-degree angle.
This picture:
http://www.coherentdog.org/vek/placeneedle.php
shows more like a 45-degree angle. But I found that tends to make Kumbi hurt (!) Then I remembered I used to shoot more at a 90-degree angle, or nearly so, so I changed my angle again, to nearly 90-degrees - and SURE ENOUGH, the injections stopped hurting!
Finally, how are you warming the insulin? Do you have it really well above room temperature? I warm the filled syringe in my armpit for about 30 seconds, and when I'm through, the filled part of the syringe feels VERY distinctly warm to my fingers.
Of course, also, once you insert the needle, you need to hold everything steady so the needle doesn't wiggle around in the flesh while you press the plunger. And presing, you need to go at a moderate pace, not too fast, not too slow. Too fast, it probably feels like a bullet. Too slow, it probably just takes too long, and makes the dog want to wiggle, or something!
I found the instructions on the BD site quite useful.
http://www.bddiabetes.com/us/main.aspx?cat=1&id=394
But you've probably been there more than once! I can't really understand the pictures of pinching up skin in that series - can't really see what is being done, but it seems some people can!
So really, all I can suggest is that you experiment some. I agree, it's really tough when there's no fat at all, and maybe you need to use the scruff area till Niki puts on a little more weight.
Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:29:24 (PST)
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