Actually, that was me Deb, but I was thinking the same way you were about Mittens not having to go to the vet. I was going to suggest to Ruby she ask if it could be done at home if she were up to it. The needles are very small and when we did it, it was just under the skin. My cat responded quite well. Once in awhile he might flinch which they told us at the vet but for the most part it was easy. There are lots of vet videos too. The cornell ones are usually quite good. They gave me a lesson at the vet and my cat was not even there.I believe that I read in one of your postings that your husband would be able to give the shots at home.
Actually, that was me Deb, but I was thinking the same way you were about Mittens not having to go to the vet. I was going to suggest to Ruby she ask if it could be done at home if she were up to it. The needles are very small and when we did it, it was just under the skin. My cat responded quite well. Once in awhile he might flinch which they told us at the vet but for the most part it was easy. There are lots of vet videos too. The cornell ones are usually quite good. They gave me a lesson at the vet and my cat was not even there.
The shot regime does not sound too bad unless Mittens is traumatized by visits to the vet (which many dogs and cats are). Is he? I believe that I read in one of your postings that your husband would be able to give the shots at home. Did he change his mind or did the nature of the shots that need to be given due to Mittens' diagnosis change?
I had to give my Newfie, Griffin, weekly shots for quite a while, and it was a good thing I didn't have to take him to a vet because he won't go in a car. (The vet has to come to us.) I was a phlebotomist (for humans, obviously) when I was in college, so I didn't mind handling needles, but I had never given a shot to a person or an animal. In the beginning I kept hitting my fingernail with the darned needle every time I tried to get it out of its top! But it was all a learning curve.
Good luck!
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I think you may be confusing me with another poster.
Actually, the vet never even gave us the option of doing it ourself.
Yes, Mittens gets extremely upset when I put him in his carrier and all the way to the vet. That is why it takes two of us - one to drive and my daughter to sit in the backseat and comfort him.
The stress could even explain his murmur because the echo did not show a problem.
I have never had to give myself a needle yet, but that could change if and when I go on insulin. The lancets are bad enough,
If mittens lets you pick him up I step on a digital scale with a cat, note the weight, then step on without the cat, note that weight and take the difference. Do the weighing around the same time of day.Oh, hi, ecf. So glad you stopped by.
So did you see my avatar. That is my Mittens.
And the diagnosis finally came through EPI Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency and IBD, which explains a lot.
She mentioned cobalamin (sp) hence the B12.
Also, Royal Canin Feline Multifunction Urinary and Hydrolyze Protein cat food which is being shipped to me in a couple of days.
Also Pancreatin 6X which I have to put on the food.
They only charged me $16 for the shot. But at the same time they are weighing him. He gained an ounce.
After the initial 6 weeks I will ask if I can do it myself. But then I would need to buy a baby scale to monitor his weight.