How to Give your Pet a SQ Injection

Pass the needle through the rubber stopper on the top of the medication vial. Keep the needle in the vial then turn the vial upside down and pull back on the plunger. Go past the prescribed dose. Make sure that the tip of the needle is in the liquid and not the air inside the vial.

Tap the syringe to move any air bubbles toward the needle and push the air back into the vial. Stop when the top of the stopper is at the line for the prescribed dose.

 

Carefully remove the needle from the vial. Be sure not to touch the needle.

 

Gently pinch and pull up a portion of your pet’s skin on either side of the spine at the shoulder blades or further back. The pinched skin should make a “tent.” Try to use a slightly different location with each injection.

Hold the “tent” with one hand and the syringe with the other. Keep the syringe level with the surface of the body and pass the needle into the base of the “tent.”

Push on the plunger to administer the medication. Pull the needle out of the skin and carefully recap the needle. Place the capped needle in a sharps container.

Feel the injection site for wetness as this may indicate the medication was not injected into the body. Do not repeat doses of medications. Call for recommendations if you believe the medication was not injected into the body.