Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
Hello! Librela is a sub-cutaneous (under the skin) POM-V, i.e. can only be given under prescription written by the vet. Most of the time, vets are used to measuring out and administering such injections themselves. A certain amount of training is required in order to store and administer a sub-cut injection appropriately. This training is given to owners of diabetic animals for example, but with diabetes the needles are very fine and easy to use. Librela will often demand a s/c injection of a larger size needle (eg 2ml) and is given infrequently enough that home injecting isn't strictly necessary (diabetics have to be injected at least once, usually twice a day). The owner of a s/c-injected patient would usually take on responsibility for storing and safe keeping of the vial and sharps (needles) which need to be disposed of immediately into a sharps-bin. Bottles may need to be discarded a certain number of days after being breached, so with only one patient some may be lost. If none of this puts you off, I cannot find a rule actively refusing you the right to inject your own pet at home. However, there is certainly a strong pre-existing convention, to the extent that if a client asked me if they could do it, I would almost certainly insist on giving my legal insurance team and the drugs' company a quick phone-call first for advice. Perhaps you could ask that your vet does the same and comes back to you?
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