How to Administer Dog Vaccinations
Vaccinating your dog at home can be a great alternative to taking your pet to the vet for the required vaccinations. Not only can it help you to save on vet fees, but it can result in a more peaceful experience for your dog as well.
What You Will Need
- Syringe
- Vaccine
- Needle
- Put the needle on the syringe and tighten it by turning clockwise. If the needle and syringe came already put together, the needle will still need to be tightened.
- Remove the cap from the needle.
- Insert the needle into the vaccine vial.
- Draw liquid into the syringe by pulling back on the plunger of the syringe. Depending on how the vaccine is packaged, you may need to withdraw all of the vaccine or just one dose of it. One dose typically measures 1 cc or 1 milliliter.
- Remove the needle from the vaccine vial.
- Remove any excess air from the syringe by pushing on the syringe plunger slowly.
- Have a friend or family member hold your dog so he doesn’t move during the injection of the vaccine.
- Lift part of the dog’s skin over the shoulder blade.
- Look for a V-shaped fold of skin.
- Insert the needle into the dog’s skin in the middle of the V-shape. Make sure the needle doesn’t protrude on the other side of the fold of skin.
- Check to see if the needle was inserted into a blood vessel by pulling back on the plunger. If blood appears in the vial, pull back the needle a small distance. Try to readjust the position of the needle without having to remove or re-insert the needle.
- Push the plunger until down until there is no more liquid in the syringe.
- Remove the needle from the animal and replace the cap.