Lately, I have been thinking about community and the part that animals play in bringing us together. As a registered veterinary technologist (RVT) whose professional role includes supporting the human-animal bond, I am rarely surprised by the connections created during at-home appointments. Conversely, I am often startled to discover that same level of connection when I am out and about on Whitehorse city streets.
A recent interaction with a client reminded me of interconnectedness. It seems animals can be a cord threading humans together.
When I met Nyx, she was newly diagnosed with arthritis and the vet had prescribed a medication that is administered by subcutaneous (under the skin or SQ) injection. Initially, Nyx would get an injection once per week, tapering to once per month for maintenance. Her human, Sydney, had previously never given an injection and was keen to keep Nyx at home for these frequent treatments. They requested a homecare visit for the first dose, with the goal of learning this skill themselves.
While a subcutaneous injection is not technically difficult, it can feel unnerving to use a sharp needle on a pet. Concerns expressed to me are that this may be causing pain to the animal, along with their human’s worry about making a mistake (or even having a fear of needles themselves).
As simple as it may seem on the surface, mastering this skill takes time and practice. When I teach people to give injections to animals, I keep those underlying concerns in mind and I maintain a slow pace, with an opportunity for questions and some time to support whichever way a person learns best.
Sydney and I had a great one-on-one teaching session at home where Nyx and Sydney could both be comfortable, with few distractions. Before we went “live” with Nyx’s injection, and in order to build knowledge and confidence, Sydney practised the technique on a demonstration toy lion. Using a lion stuffie could feel silly when adults are attempting to learn. In actuality, this low-risk scenario took any pressure off of “having to get it right” in this situation and added levity in imagining Nyx as a “house lion.” And it allowed Sydney to focus on feeling successful as they learned. As we wrapped up, Sydney intended to continue on their own but was not entirely certain if they would feel confident giving Nyx’s dose the following week.
I met Nyx and Sydney, in this short yet impactful way, several months ago.
Intermittently, as seasons change, I have wondered how things were going for them. While out in Whitehorse last week, I randomly ran into Sydney and requested an update. With delight in my heart, I listened to Sydney recount their success in confidently providing Nyx with her medication needs after our teaching session.
Sydney shared more details: not only were injections going well, but they had also observed mobility changes in Nyx. She had been displaying normal cat behaviour: stalking, jumping, and pouncing; and leaping onto her windowside cat stand to watch birds outside. These were all things she had not done in a long time. To Sydney’s observation, while Nyx’s mobility was not at her pre-arthritis level, she had definitely improved since starting this medication.
As they spoke, painting a picture with these stories, a stunning smile unfurled on Sydney’s face. I watched awareness settle in as Sydney put the pieces together. A direct link existed between Nyx’s improved mobility, the medication itself and Sydney’s ability to learn a new skill: Sydney had become an active component in Nyx’s health, and Nyx’s improvement was the result.
The value of providing something to a pet that seems so simple, such as a subcutaneous injection, could easily go unrecognized. Beyond health implications, that simple thing carried the power to deepen the bond between human and animal. I felt honoured to be present in the moment when Sydney realized this implicit value as well.
Witnessing this self-recognition brought a smile of joy to my face and we celebrated a connection in that moment that we may not have otherwise had, thanks to Nyx.
Stories such as that of Nyx and Sydney’s follow me after appointments and create connections in ways and places I am not always anticipating. For me, this story highlights how animals resonate with humans: they are one thread that weaves us into community.
As this example illustrates, becoming an active participant in our pets’ healthcare, in the way that is best available to us, can be rewarding and can give us a source of pride as well as serve to strengthen the human-animal bond.
Recognizing these bonds amongst each other can, in turn, lead to building community that is rich, with a shared understanding of the important ways that animals hold space for humans.
Author’s Note:Names of animals and people have been changed to protect privacy.
