How to Inject Glucosamine for Dogs

Dog ready for injection

How to Inject Glucosamine for Dogs

Dog glucosamine injections are prescription medication that is injected into your dog’s muscle and then preferentially absorbed by inflamed joints.

Glucosamine injections lubricate and soothe the joints, which reduces friction.

When friction is reduced, pain and inflammation are reduced.

Instead of simply masking pain as NSAIDs do, glucosamine injections help rebuild cartilage in the damaged joint.

With glucosamine injections, you are actually getting joint therapy instead of mere pain control.

Dog Glucosamine Injections Loading Dose

If this is your dog’s first experience with glucosamine injections, you should follow a “loading dose” schedule to build the medication up on your dog’s system.

The loading dose for glucosamine is one intramuscular injection once every 4 days for a series of  8 injections.

To do this, you give an injection, wait 4 days, then give another injection.

Repeat until you have given a series of 8 dog glucosamine injections.

How to Give Dog Glucosamine Injections

You can easily give your dog glucosamine injections at home.

Just follow the instructions below!

First, choose the perfect place for the injection:

  • Pick a quiet place with good lighting.
  • Make sure your dog is on a surface that is not slippery.
  • Get a friend or family member to help, if possible. (Your helper should only hold your dog tight enough to keep your dog’s head under control.)

Prepare the syringe and needle:

  • Make sure the needle is clean and straight.
  • Shake the bottle to make sure the medication is consistent
  • Tip the medicine bottle upside down using one hand
  • Place the syringe in the center hole (the rubber part) with the other hand
  • Slowly fill the syringe to the desired quantity by pulling it out on the plunger. Dr. Smith will have pre-calculated your dog’s dose for you. Make sure to avoid any air bubbles in the syringe. If air bubbles do occur, push the plunger in squirting liquid back into the jar until the air bubbles disappear.

Choose where to give the dog glucosamine injection:

  • The hamstring (the fleshy part of the back leg)

Give the Injection:

  • Injectable glucosamine is given as an intramuscular (IM) injection.
  • Part your dog’s fur at the injection site so that you can see the skin.
  • It is not necessary to sterilize the injection site unless it is particularly unclean.
  • If you feel you need to clean the area, swap the area with alcohol, making sure the area is completely dry before you proceed.
  • Uncap the sterile needle and syringe and hold just like you would a pencil.
  • Let your “helper” know that you will be administering the injection now so that she will not be surprised.
  • With the hand that is not holding the needle, scratch the area where you plan to insert the needle.
  • Continue scratching as you insert the needle. This confuses the “pain pathway” of the nerve endings and helps make the injection less painful.
  • Insert the needle into the skin using a slow, continuous push through the skin and into the muscle at a ninety-degree angle.
  • Make sure that the needle is inserted at its full length and then push the plunger down to administer all of the medicine inside the liquid.
  • Withdraw the needle carefully.
  • Dispose of the needle and syringe into a properly labeled needle disposal container.
  • Massage the injection site gently for a few seconds to encourage the material to dissipate.
  • It may also relieve some of the discomforts of the injection for the dog.

More Powerful Tools for Overcoming Dog Arthritis Challenges

There are many quick and easy changes you can make at home to help you give your dog an edge on easing dog arthritis pain.

Related Posts

Veterinary Cryosurgery

Veterinary Cryosurgery

    What is Veterinary Cryosurgery? Dr. Smith often uses veterinary cryosurgery in his pet cancer treatment plans. Cryosurgery, also called cryotherapy or cryoablation, is

Read More »

Connect with Us:

More Posts

No. 1 Super Remedy for Dog Restlessness

Endless panting, pacing, and unsettled behavior. It’s easy to spot when your dog is restless. And naturally, as a concerned pet owner, you quickly browse through the internet for a natural remedy for dog restlessness. Then, the anxiety sets in. We are familiar with the feeling. You know your pet’s normal behavior, and you are aware when they’re out of character. But it’s best that you put your anxiety at rest because that will only create panic. And when you panic, it’s difficult to be solution-oriented. There is a natural remedy for dog restlessness and panting. So, you can stop

Read More »

Veterinary Cryosurgery

    What is Veterinary Cryosurgery? Dr. Smith often uses veterinary cryosurgery in his pet cancer treatment plans. Cryosurgery, also called cryotherapy or cryoablation, is a common cancer procedure used in humans. Dr. Smith uses it to skin tumors, and sometimes even certain tumors inside the body. Cryosurgery works by using extreme cold produced by liquid nitrogen or argon gas to destroy cancer cells and abnormal tissue. Watch the Video  Transcription Dr. Smith:  Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Doctor Marc Smith, a 20-year practicing veterinarian and co-creator of PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, and I’m gonna work on this fine

Read More »

Looking for an Herbal Formulation for Diabetes in Cats?

Why Use an Herbal Formulation for Diabetes in Cats? I remember my first experience giving a cat insulin shots. It was years ago, and I was pet sitting for a friend. Giving kitty an insulin shot would be easy, she said. Just give him a little tuna and give him a shot. That’s it! NOPE. To say the least, giving the kitty a shot didn’t happen quite the way she described it. What she didn’t tell me was how much kitty hated the shot. Or, how fast I’d need to inject to avoid getting scratched! Let’s face it, insulin injections

Read More »

What’s the Best Supplement for Joint Health in Dogs?

We all want our dogs to feel good and have an excellent quality of life, no matter what age.Unfortunately, many dogs suffer from weakened or worn out joints Arthritis and Joint Health in Dogs Arthritis is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. All dogs suffer from arthritis as they age. In fact, according to the Arthritis Foundation, approximately 20% of all adult dogs have arthritis. In other words, 1 in 5 adult dogs suffers from arthritis. However,  if your dog is older than 7 years, there is a 65% chance he or she suffers from

Read More »