How to put and correctly inject a cat intramuscularly

Often the treatment of a cat is accompanied by stress for both the pet and the owner. I have to go to the clinic every day or call a doctor, which also does not improve the situation. If the owner knows how to properly inject, then there is no need to visit a veterinary clinic. However, before this, the cat must be examined in order to know the exact diagnosis, and to purchase exactly the same injection that the veterinarian will prescribe. Only then can you start treating your pet.

Why is an intramuscular injection necessary?

Muscle tissue rich in blood vessels. The drugs introduced into it are very quickly and well absorbed. In addition, there are such drugs, the introduction of which subcutaneously causes severe pain or very poorly absorbed from the subcutaneous tissue, which leads to the formation of infiltrates. If such drugs are prescribed, and also when it is required to obtain a quick result from the administered drug, the subcutaneous injection is replaced with an intramuscular one.

Also, when the drug is administered intramuscularly, something like a depot is formed in the muscle, from which the drug slowly enters the bloodstream. Due to this, the drug in the right concentration remains in the body for quite a long time, which is very important for antibiotics.

accident prevention

Before you give a cat an injection, you need to familiarize yourself with the safety precautions.

The first thing to do is read the instructions: shelf life of the drug, storage conditions, side effects.

If the doctor has prescribed several drugs, it is necessary to write down the following information on the sheet:

• precise dosage of medicines;
• duration of the course of admission;
• the best time to inject.

This leaflet should be hung on the refrigerator. Do not rely on your memory, because if you mix up the dosage, the pet can be seriously injured.

It is necessary to prepare a plate where you will need to put syringes and ampoules. Before each use, the container must be boiled.

Before using the syringe, check the integrity of the package. Then, a blister is opened from the side of the piston, a needle is put on the piston without removing the cap from it.

Before injecting, the syringe should be raised with the needle up and tapped on the barrel with your finger. Using the piston, it is necessary to release the emerging air bubbles.

An injection to a cat intramuscularly should be given in this way: the needle is inserted sharply and fixed in one position. Even slight fluctuations of the needle inside the tissues can lead to damage, accompanied by pain.

Do not store open ampoules.

The syringe can only be used once.

General Injection Rules for Cats

The most important thing is cleanliness. Hands should be washed, and instruments and the injection site should be decontaminated. It is important to prevent infection from the surface of the pet’s skin.

If the cat is too fluffy, it will be necessary to shave the hair in the place where the injection will be made. This will make the process much easier and more hygienic. It is better to deal with wool in advance, so as not to excite the pet so much.

For intramuscular injections mainly using insulin syringes. But they are used only when the volume of the injected drug is no more than 1 ml, because that is how much the insulin syringe can hold. It has an optimal needle diameter for cats. Such syringes are used for most drugs. If it is necessary to inject a thick oily medicinal solution, then it is best to purchase 2-3 mm syringes, because it will only clog the thin needle of the insulin syringe.

If the drug is stored in the refrigerator, then before the injection, the ampoule must be warmed in the hands or warm water. In this case, the water should not be higher than +38 degrees.

Everything should be prepared in advance:

• cotton wool;
• alcohol;
• syringes;
• ampoule with medicine;
• a blanket in which you may have to wrap the cat.

It is necessary to take as assistants one of the friends or relatives. It is important that the cat knows this person well. If there is no one to help, then the cat will have to be swaddled.

How to give a cat an injection intramuscularly

• You need to calm your pet first. Cat muscles are quite small, long and at the same time quite strong, so it is much more difficult for them to inject than for people.
• Before the injection, the animal is often swaddled, leaving only the ass and hind legs open. In this form, the cat is placed sideways on an elastic and even surface, such as a sofa or table. The assistant is required to hold the animal in place.
• The most comfortable muscle for an injection in cats is on the thigh. However, there is bone and large vessels. In order not to accidentally get into them, it is necessary to grasp the muscle from both sides to determine its boundaries. It is best if the muscle is not very tense, in which case it is slightly mobile and can move away from the bone. And besides, a strongly compressed muscle is very difficult to pierce with a needle.
• The cat should be relaxed patting her on the back and buttocks. Then it is necessary to moisten the cotton wool in alcohol and wipe the area prepared for the injection.
• It is necessary to prick with a sharp confident movement into the most voluminous part of the muscle. The needle should enter to a depth of 1,5-2 cm. If at this time there is blood, you must immediately pull out the needle and clamp the injection site with a cotton swab. This means that the needle has entered the vessel and the injection needs to be done a little to the side.
• Inject the drug slowly and evenly. No matter how the animal resists, the injection must still be administered slowly, because if everything is done quickly, most of the drug can leak out, and a painful nodule forms at the injection site.
• After the injection of the drug, the skin around the needle is pressed with a cotton swab with alcohol and the needle is removed with a quick movement. The injection site should be rubbed with a cotton swab or massaged with your hand.
• Next time you need to prick in the other paw.

Conclusion

When a cat gets sick, loving owners do everything to alleviate her condition. They take her to the veterinary clinic or call the doctor’s house. If the owner himself knows how to give intramuscular injections, then it will be better when he gives the injection to the sick cat himself. This will help to cause much less trauma to her psyche.