How to Give Puppy Shots...Are you worried about giving puppy shots? I was too at first. While vaccinating a dog is technically easy to do, many people don't because they are worried that by giving their own puppy shots they may hurt their dog. Rest assured - just about anyone can learn to do this! I'm making it as easy as possible by walking you through this process step by step. After using my technique, you'll wonder why you were so nervous about it! A Few Things You Need to Know About Puppy Vaccines The vaccines you will administer are subcutaneous, this means that they are given under the skin and not directly into the muscle which makes them a lot easier to do yourself. Most vaccine or vaccine combos come in two vials; a liquid vial and a powder vial that are mixed together immediately prior to administration. Many vaccines can be purchased locally at a feed store or online. Keep in mind that vaccines need to be refrigerated until use and always check the expiration date before giving them to your dog, as the manufacturers do not test vaccines beyond their expiration dates. So if you give your dog an expired vaccine, you will have to wait 4 weeks and re-vaccinate or run a titer test to make sure it took. While, I've discussed some facts you need to know about puppy shots I want to stress the single most important ingredient...your state of mind. If you are fearful and nervous your dog will feel he is in danger and you will stress his immune system while administering the vaccine. A dog with a stressed immune system is more likely to have problems with the vaccination process but don't worry, I've got several tips to share that will teach you how to keep your dog still and get you around your natural nervousness with confidence and ease. You Will Need the Following to Complete the Process:
Giving Puppy ShotsStep One: Practice Handling Your Dog for Puppy ShotsIn order to give puppy shots without a lot of movement and squirming on the part of your dog it helps to use treats and practice handling your dog the way you will need to in order to give them the vaccine. Have them lie down and pull the skin up between the shoulder blades. The skin in this location on the back of the neck area is loose and grabbing the skin and pulling up slightly will not cause any discomfort to your dog. Get your dog's attention on the treat while slowly and carefully moving the skin up and down rewarding your dog with the treat when you've completed a successful cycle. If your dog starts to look back toward your hand behind him, pause in your movement and use your voice (excited tone) while moving the treat back and forth (closer to your dogs nose if necessary) redirecting his attention back to the treat and away from what you are doing with your hand. Practice this until your dog allows you to pull the skin up and release it while keeping his focus on the treat. Step Two: Prepare the Vaccine You will need the vaccine of your choice and 1 3cc LL - 22x3/4 syringe for each vaccine you intend to give. The vaccines typically run about $6.00 at your local feed store and the syringes are around .20¢-.40¢ each. 1) Check the expiration date. Return the vaccine to the place of purchase if expired and exchange it for a vaccine with a current date. 2) Take your syringe out of the case, uncap it and push it into the top of the liquid vial of your vaccine. 3) Pull back on the plunger and fill the syringe with the liquid. 4) Pull it out and inject it into the vial containing the powder portion of your vaccine. 5) Repeat several times if necessary to remove all the liquid and deposit it into the powder vial. 6) When finished recap the syringe and shake the vial containing the mixed vaccine. Your vaccine is now mixed and ready to go. Step Three: Fill the Syringe with the Prepared Vaccine Remove the cap from your syringe, push the needle into the top of your prepared vaccine, tilt it upside down, pull back on the plunger and fill the syringe with the serum. After filling, push forward on the syringe just enough to expel the air from it and to see a slight drop of liquid forming at the top. Remove the syringe, cap your needle and place it near the area you've designated as the place you will give your puppy shots. Step Four: Set Your Intent Giving a shot for the first time can be a little nerve wracking...so I learned to distract myself and get into the proper state by starting off with a chant or prayer that I call a vaccine blessing. The goal here is to get you into the state of creating perfect health rather than anxiety for your pet. Feel free to use my vaccine blessing or create your own, just be certain it is complex enough to allow you to forget about your fear and embrace what it is that you really want for your dog. Place the syringe in your hand, breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four and out for a count of eight. Repeat three times and then say, "I declare this water the water of Life and from the water of Life I declare it the water of Light watching it glow with the rays that allow growth, now the water of Light is the water of God, streaming with Divine Love and the consciousness of perfect health." Step Five: Inject the Vaccine With your dog lying down, uncap the syringe and again push up against the plunger just enough to see a bead of liquid at the end. Place a treat (jerky works well) in front of your dog, pinch the skin at the back of the shoulder blades and pull up enough to create a triangle shaped tent. Place the tip of the needle in the center of the tent at about a 45 degree angle and apply slow and steady pressure until you feel the needle move through the skin. Empty the plunger, remove the needle and recap it. Step Six: Praise Praise your dog with lots of love, petting and attention for a job well done. Dispose of the needle in a sharps container or in accordance with your waste disposal company's guidelines. Congratulate yourself! The entire process once learned it is easy to repeat, you saved a lot of money and your pet got to experience puppy shots without a lot of drama, fully prepared and in the safety of their own home. That is what I call a win, win situation!
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