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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
  
Location: North Dakota | This is very tough for me to post.
Those of you giving IV drugs to your horses need to be EXTREMELY cautious. Learn from an old trained gal that has lots of experience.
My daughters horse hurt himself late last week, went to the vet for observation, had acupuncture treatment and was told to give banamine and antibiotics daily.
I am a vet tech by schooling, worked in one of the biggest mixed animal practices in the state for 5 years, I have a lot of experience medicating horses.
IF YOU GIVE IV DRUGS, DO IT RIGHT EVERY TIME!
Back to the story, horse is getting better, daughter rode horse last night, seemed to be improving, should be able to compete this weekend! (yay)
I am treating horse like the vet says, go to give the IV banamine and ****, I hit the artery, go to reposition the needle and horse is tipping over. For what seemed like an eternity, I begged GOD to let the horse die. I have never seen anything like this in my entire life, nor do I plan on ever seeing it again. Thank God horse didn't run into anything, he's very beat up but is up and eating this morning.
The point, if you give an IV drug, place the needle ONLY first, if blood shoots out, stop, reposition. If the blood comes slowly seeping out, you are in the correct spot. DO NOT IV with the same needle you pulled the drug from the bottle. I really am not sure if I pushed any banamine into the artery or just the residue hit his brain and caused the seizure.
This was the most horrific 5 minutes of my life-absolutely nothing will leave a more lasting impression.
Please bash me if you choose, I'm trained, I know that doing this kind of thing is not to be taken lightly, but if my stupid mistake can help someone else from never seeing this or another horse from experiencing this, I've done something right. DO NOT EVER become complacent in what you're doing! Remember, I've been around horses for 30 years, have seen and performed thousands of IV sticks, I have NEVER experienced this.
I will still IV horses, but I will be much more cautious.
Now I wait to see if there is any banamine under the skin or in the muscle that could possibly kill him.
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Expert
Posts: 2685
 
| So sorry. It truly is a crazy thing. I work at an equine hospital and we had a vet inject xylazine into the artery on accident. Mare lived, with a blind eye from hitting the ground, but lived. Anyone can do it. I'm glad he's doing ok. Eating and such. Prayers he stays that way. |
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 Famous for Not Complaining
Posts: 8848
Location: Broxton, Ga | We did this once to my mare scared the bejesus out of us I thought I never main line again. She recovered thank goodness. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| I've had a vet kill a colt this way. I was holding another horse and when I looked up my horses was on the ground having seizures and then was gone.
It happens sometimes when your not careful. I've also seen ppl do what you did and the horse be absolutely fine after the initial seizures.
Prayers yours will be fine. Also, some banamine under the skin or muscle will most likely be ok (yes i know all the dangers and have seen the horrible fb pics of reactions and such) if it was bute I would be freaking out but with banamine I think you'll come out fine.
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | If my horse would have stayed down it would have been better. Thank God he wasn't in his stall or he would have killed both of us. Absolutely horrific. I'm glad to know I'm not the only incompetent individual in the world-feeling pretty terrible about it....thanks for the prayers. |
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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | I had this happen to my horse before. Except we were injectiong antibiotics IM. I wasn't injection so not sure if they didn't pull back first or what. but like 5 seconds after shot horse lunged, reared, rolled, ect all over the yard before finally getting up and taking off. ran through several fences. Found her later on an old back road banged up but ok. Like you I prayed she would die before she kept suffering or ran out into the rd and got hit and killed someone..... Scariest thing ever. Horses are not for the faint of heart, when things go bad, THEY GO BAD! Glad your boy is doing better. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | So sorry you and the horse went through that!
We would always counsel clients to be sure to go higher up on the neck since at that point the jugular vein and the common carotid artery are farther apart separated by muscle. The other thing is to be sure not to use a longer needle than you need. 1 1/2 inch needle is good and keep it parallel in line with the vein. And...like you suggested...insert the needle without the syringe first.
But...accidents can happen to anyone no matter the skill or experience. I hope your horse makes a quick full recovery...and that the process didn't take too many years off of your life! |
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| Most people are not aware of how close the artery is to the jugular vein ...
at the chosen injection site ... the artery is directly behind the vein ..
This article is a good pictoral of vein and artery placement in the neck ...
(do not start howling over the size of the needle ...lol )
http://www.r-vets.org/IV-Injections.html
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| No bashing here! Things can go south so quickly, especially with horses. Hugs and prayers everything turns out ok.  |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | If anyone bashes you, they are obviously not a horse person. I've never met a wise and competent horse person that hasn't made mistakes before. Thank you for the PSA, it may help to save a lot of horses in the future. I'm glad he is doing ok! |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| Yup. Lots of people have been there. Keep it shallow, if you go deep you will hit it wrong. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | No bashing....I hate giving IV shots for this reason. Thank you for being brave enough to post a reminder to everyone to be extremely careful. Glad it sounds like everything is going to turn out ok. I saw a horse go down in the warm up pen of a barrel race from banamine getting in the wrong place, it was one of the most awful things I've ever seen....he did get up and was fine later....but geeezzzz, it tramatized me. |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | To the OP, I also am a liscensed RVT. While working in an equine hospital, I too, hit the artery. I went sprinting from the barn, through the exam room, into the lab to get the epinephrine. The doctor that was in the exam room, with a client, knew I was out doing treatments, so he automatically knew what I had done. As I came sprinting back through the exam room to the barn, he followed. He gave some epi and we watched as the horse finally realaxed and came back around. I was scared to death.. just knew the horse would die and I would be fired. He calmly told me the horse would be fine, and I will never forget what he said next. He said "if you do this job for any amount of time, you are going to hit the artery. It has happened to us all, and will happen at least once to everyone.". It wasn't that you were not paying attention, or that you did something wrong, it just happens sometimes. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I use a 1" needle 20gauge for IV shots. You have to really push on the vein for it to pop out but the 1" virtually eliminates this risk unless you go straight in and not parallel. But no judgement here! It takes so much to keep these performance horses on the road its no wonder it doesnt happen more often. |
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 Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
Thank you for sharing your experience. Good to know!!
I'm happy the horse is going to be OK.
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | FLITASTIC - 2015-05-20 10:42 AM I use a 1" needle 20gauge for IV shots. You have to really push on the vein for it to pop out but the 1" virtually eliminates this risk unless you go straight in and not parallel. But no judgement here! It takes so much to keep these performance horses on the road its no wonder it doesnt happen more often.
I bet it does happen more offten we just dont hear about the ones that this happen to. I know two horses that did die from their owners IV'ing them. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | And OP thanks for sharing your story with us I know it had to be so so hard to tell the board this, but it did open eyes to what IV'ing can do even with experience. I have seen what it can do and thats why I never learned to IV just was to scared to hit wrong. I just leave it up to my go to Vet, I'm a chicken to even try, I have had a few that wanted to teach me.
So glad that your horse is going to be ok |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | Glad the horse is alive and doing better. praying for no banamine under the skin or muscle for you. Praying for a healthy horse and peace for you. Everyone who does IV shots consistently have done it once. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Oh dear LORD.....sounds absolutely horrific. Appreciate you writing this....I never would have thought about using the needle that was in the medicine...I don't know how to give IV shots and am not ready to either. I have yet to conquer the muscle shot! Hope your boy gets better and that your mind can quiet down....I can't even imagine. :( |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| How terrifying, so glad he is ok. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| HorsesNHarleys - 2015-05-20 9:29 AM
I had this happen to my horse before. Except we were injectiong antibiotics IM. I wasn't injection so not sure if they didn't pull back first or what. but like 5 seconds after shot horse lunged, reared, rolled, ect all over the yard before finally getting up and taking off. ran through several fences. Found her later on an old back road banged up but ok. Like you I prayed she would die before she kept suffering or ran out into the rd and got hit and killed someone..... Scariest thing ever. Horses are not for the faint of heart, when things go bad, THEY GO BAD! Glad your boy is doing better.
The antibiotic you gave did it have procamine (sp) in it, found in penicillin not sure what other antibiotics.
Had this happen twice with penicillin, both time withdrew no blood administered 1/4 withdrew one had blood so I stopped, the other no blood during the entire procedure.
The one where I hit blood, I stopped withdrew and didn't give any more, within 5 min she was running around the pasture, she was fin after.
The one where there was no blood evidence vet said I must have been too close to a vessel, he flipped over the panels, through two fences, thankfully ended up with no scratches and settled down in 30 min. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| FLITASTIC - 2015-05-20 10:42 AM
I use a 1" needle 20gauge for IV shots. You have to really push on the vein for it to pop out but the 1" virtually eliminates this risk unless you go straight in and not parallel. But no judgement here! It takes so much to keep these performance horses on the road its no wonder it doesnt happen more often.
Agree, I was also taught to examine the color of the blood when withdrawing, an artery is a brighter red.
I was also taught withdraw then inject no more then 1cc wait a few seconds withdraw, give a little more, and repeat till the syringe is all gone. It takes me about 2 min to inject 10cc
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 Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | I haven't done this exact thing. But I was very scared I had killed my horse. That's why if there is an oral option I usually chose that one.
Very glad it turned out if not happy at least no serious damage done. I use a 1" needle. Anything longer is a waste and increases the possibility of getting in the wrong spot. |
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | cheryl makofka - 2015-05-20 12:32 PM FLITASTIC - 2015-05-20 10:42 AM I use a 1" needle 20gauge for IV shots. You have to really push on the vein for it to pop out but the 1" virtually eliminates this risk unless you go straight in and not parallel. But no judgement here! It takes so much to keep these performance horses on the road its no wonder it doesnt happen more often. Agree, I was also taught to examine the color of the blood when withdrawing, an artery is a brighter red. I was also taught withdraw then inject no more then 1cc wait a few seconds withdraw, give a little more, and repeat till the syringe is all gone. It takes me about 2 min to inject 10cc
See that's just the thing I have recognized the color of the blood before! I'm pretty sure I didn't inject 1 cc and he was flipping. Placing a clean unused needle without syringe is the only way to be absolutely sure you don't do what I did. |
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| FLITASTIC - 2015-05-20 10:42 AM
I use a 1" needle 20gauge for IV shots. You have to really push on the vein for it to pop out but the 1" virtually eliminates this risk unless you go straight in and not parallel. But no judgement here! It takes so much to keep these performance horses on the road its no wonder it doesnt happen more often.
^^this^^
I too, will only use a 1" needle, stay shallow and stay terrified. I can get the job done and have never become casual about it, and have been "lucky" so far. But since I had a bad experience with Tetracycline (which is VERY thick and given 60ccs at a time), where the mare had very small jugular vein, a very muscled neck and no one to assist me. She moved and I did not get needle repositioned before a little slipped outside the vein, her neck blew up ('tho not as badly as when the vet did the very same thing on a larger scale).
Now I am terribly hootchie about the whole thing and administer anything I can orally and get the vet to do mainlining if at all possible.
I am sorry for those of you who have been UN lucky, that bites!
Edited by rodeoveteran 2015-05-20 1:19 PM
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Yep. I've done it. It's horrifying. I wasn't praying my precious guy would die, I was wishing I would. He came out of it about ten minutes later. The best advice I can give is only mainline your own horses, and to remain very focused and slow while you're doing it. The vein is right under the skin, stay shallow! |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | Wow that is scary. I have only done IV once and never did it again because I am not comfortable doing it. |
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 The Original Cyber Bartender
Location: Washington | You have saved many equines by sharing. BRAVO! |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | fulltiltfilly - 2015-05-20 2:40 PM Wow that is scary. I have only done IV once and never did it again because I am not comfortable doing it.
I won't IV a horse either. I've had many people scoff at me for that reason, but whatev. |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-05-20 10:34 AM To the OP, I also am a liscensed RVT. While working in an equine hospital, I too, hit the artery. I went sprinting from the barn, through the exam room, into the lab to get the epinephrine. The doctor that was in the exam room, with a client, knew I was out doing treatments, so he automatically knew what I had done. As I came sprinting back through the exam room to the barn, he followed. He gave some epi and we watched as the horse finally realaxed and came back around. I was scared to death.. just knew the horse would die and I would be fired. He calmly told me the horse would be fine, and I will never forget what he said next. He said "if you do this job for any amount of time, you are going to hit the artery. It has happened to us all, and will happen at least once to everyone.". It wasn't that you were not paying attention, or that you did something wrong, it just happens sometimes.
I saw an Vet student do this at a Equine/ortho surgery practice I teched at for awhile. We always gave banamine after joint injections....had a big old gray rope horse in the stocks and down he went and seizured. Anesthetized him quickly and drug him to recovery stall and he was fine. My boss said the same, and then and there I learned how to properly give an IV shot. The higher up the on the neck you go the better you are since the veins don't run side by side until further down the neck. |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| rodeoveteran - 2015-05-20 1:18 PM FLITASTIC - 2015-05-20 10:42 AM I use a 1" needle 20gauge for IV shots. You have to really push on the vein for it to pop out but the 1" virtually eliminates this risk unless you go straight in and not parallel. But no judgement here! It takes so much to keep these performance horses on the road its no wonder it doesnt happen more often. ^^this^^ I too, will only use a 1" needle, stay shallow and stay terrified. I can get the job done and have never become casual about it, and have been "lucky" so far. But since I had a bad experience with Tetracycline (which is VERY thick and given 60ccs at a time ), where the mare had very small jugular vein, a very muscled neck and no one to assist me. She moved and I did not get needle re positioned before a little slipped outside the vein, her neck blew up ('tho not as badly as when the vet did the very same thing on a larger scale ). Now I am terribly hootchie about the whole thing and administer anything I can orally and get the vet to do mainlining if at all possible. I am sorry for those of you who have been UN lucky, that bites!
You really need to visualize the vein, take as long as you need, and remember you are only going right under the skin, just sub Q! |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | Murphy - 2015-05-20 9:42 AM If anyone bashes you, they are obviously not a horse person. I've never met a wise and competent horse person that hasn't made mistakes before. Thank you for the PSA, it may help to save a lot of horses in the future. I'm glad he is doing ok!
I agree... |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| Crazy, ill be forwarding this to my daughter. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| so sorry you had to go thru this!
I have had a similar experience, giving a penicillin based shot and according to my vet I must have nicked a blood vessel. He said he's seen the reaction before. No sooner than I shut the stall door his eyes bulged, nostrils flared, and he was TERRIFIED of EVERYTHING in his stall, his hay, his bucket, the feeder, he was spinning and darn near backing himself into a sitting position as he had no where to go. I was praying he wouldn't try to jump out the window! It maybe lasted 2 or 3 minutes, but it felt like an eternity.
Vet said, it gets up into the brain (something like that) and can cause reactions like that.
Scary stuff! This particular horse has heaves and has had a LOT of shots in his day and only twice has this happened to him. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| I'm very sorry this happened to you and your horse, but THANK YOU for sharing your story. The vet that taught me, many years ago, to hit a vein NEVERRRRR mentioned this to me. I'm very blessed that this didn't happen to me, because I've given many doses of Banimine. Another vet explained what could happen if the needle was in the wrong spot. I am not an uneducated horse owner either. I now remove the needle and administer the drug the correct way. Many prayers for you and the horse. Thank you again for educating others! |
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Expert
Posts: 1956
Location: Ky | I've always used a 3/4" needle and haven't had this happen yet. I did see it happen one time at a horse show. They thought they had killed their horse. But he was fine a hour later and won his class. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| star1218 - 2015-05-20 3:44 PM
so sorry you had to go thru this!
I have had a similar experience, giving a penicillin based shot and according to my vet I must have nicked a blood vessel. He said he's seen the reaction before. No sooner than I shut the stall door his eyes bulged, nostrils flared, and he was TERRIFIED of EVERYTHING in his stall, his hay, his bucket, the feeder, he was spinning and darn near backing himself into a sitting position as he had no where to go. I was praying he wouldn't try to jump out the window! It maybe lasted 2 or 3 minutes, but it felt like an eternity.
Vet said, it gets up into the brain (something like that) and can cause reactions like that.
Scary stuff! This particular horse has heaves and has had a LOT of shots in his day and only twice has this happened to him.
Procamine reaction it isn't the penicillin that causes it, it is the local anesthetic mixed in the penicillin.
The procamine stops the brain from processing and if the brain doesn't restart it kills them, that is why it is always important to withdraw with penicillin, and even that is no guarantee as my first horse who had the reaction no evidence of blood when I withdrew the 4 times during administration |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | Thanks for sharing this as it is a great reminder. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 494
| Thank you for sharing, I IV and have heard many stories, but this thread has great info! So question: if you place the needle and you do happen to hit the artery and the blood is squirting and not dripping, you just reposition to find the vein? Won't the horse still seizure or have an episode? |
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 Arriving at the last minute!
Posts: 5148
Location: Kansas | I feel stupid I had no idea! Thanks for sharing! I give I'VE shots now and then but not often! |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | epoh - 2015-05-20 7:09 PM Thank you for sharing, I IV and have heard many stories, but this thread has great info! So question: if you place the needle and you do happen to hit the artery and the blood is squirting and not dripping, you just reposition to find the vein? Won't the horse still seizure or have an episode? No, hitting the artery in an of itself should not cause a SZ. You should take the needle out and apply direct pressure for a minute (to 5 min if a hematoma develops). SZ occur due to the medications. You then should use the other side of the neck. Keep the horse still for a time is advised if a hematoma develops.
I can't remember who mentioned the event with the Epi while she was working with the vet clinic but I want to bring to your attention, that epi can be hard to come by due to national shortages. I think its a great idea to have epi in your home/travel emergency kits and have it nearby so that it's there if you need it. I had a similiar event at a rodeo, I was able to ride back across the parking area in time to give a dose of Epi to a horse that went down post injection. The Vet said it saved the horses life. (He was already down and had been in SZ for several minutes before they found me.)
When we work cattle my husband keeps it nearby as we've had the need for it there too!
OP Your a gem for putting this PSA out there, we all need to be vigilant!
Edited by uno-dos-tres! 2015-05-20 9:35 PM
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 Transplant Okie
Posts: 1206
Location: Always on call..... | We did the exact same thing to my horse last year. Actually gave him the whole dose of banamine in the artery. Before we pulled the needle out he was seizing. Like you said it was literally the most horrific thing I have ever seen - and I am an ER doctor.
The horse went bananas. Tore down a fence, broke off fence posts, flipped over the cinder block well house, hit his head on the barn roof, crashed into everything. I honestly can't believe he is still alive. I was like you - during the whole thing (which lasted probably 15 minutes, felt like an eternity) I just kept hoping he'd die.
Other than hang being pretty sore and scraped up he didn't have any lasting effects...
My best friend is an equine vet and she said every vet she knows has done it. |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Like everyone else said, a really great post. I have given many many IV drugs. Where I live it is do or die either way, same with tubing a calf. Called a neighbor for some advice and it was either die trying or it would die anyways. You get pretty good at it when there is nothing to lose actually. I had to Banamine a mare just this morning with no one around to help. That is usually how it goes. So far so good. I have found I prefer and am more comfortable with 1" needles as well, just take my time, press on the vein until it is really visable and insert the needle at a good angle. We are never so experienced that we can't learn more though. That is the test of a true person in any field. Always something new to learn. I can IV all day long with not too many worries but I won't do a friends horse when they ask, no thank you. Too much risk involved as this thread clearly shows. |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | How big is the vein? Anyone have some good articles? |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| barrelrider - 2015-05-20 3:49 PM
I'm very sorry this happened to you and your horse, but THANK YOU for sharing your story. The vet that taught me, many years ago, to hit a vein NEVERRRRR mentioned this to me. I'm very blessed that this didn't happen to me, because I've given many doses of Banimine. Another vet explained what could happen if the needle was in the wrong spot. I am not an uneducated horse owner either. I now remove the needle and administer the drug the correct way. Many prayers for you and the horse. Thank you again for educating others!
This! Thank you for the info - I had no idea either and I have IV'd scads of horses - my gosh, I would have freaked if this would have happened! Any more, I just squirt Banamine in their mouth, my vet told me about giving it this way and while it is slower to work, I figure it's less stress on me and way better than giving it in the muscle. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 317
Location: MS | My vet told me that the higher in the neck the farther you are from the artery. I only use a 1" needle.
I've been lucky so far. I know alot of people that have hit the artery. Scary. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 239
| cheryl makofka - 2015-05-20 3:49 PM star1218 - 2015-05-20 3:44 PM so sorry you had to go thru this!
I have had a similar experience, giving a penicillin based shot and according to my vet I must have nicked a blood vessel. He said he's seen the reaction before. No sooner than I shut the stall door his eyes bulged, nostrils flared, and he was TERRIFIED of EVERYTHING in his stall, his hay, his bucket, the feeder, he was spinning and darn near backing himself into a sitting position as he had no where to go. I was praying he wouldn't try to jump out the window! It maybe lasted 2 or 3 minutes, but it felt like an eternity.
Vet said, it gets up into the brain (something like that) and can cause reactions like that.
Scary stuff! This particular horse has heaves and has had a LOT of shots in his day and only twice has this happened to him. Procamine reaction it isn't the penicillin that causes it, it is the local anesthetic mixed in the penicillin. The procamine stops the brain from processing and if the brain doesn't restart it kills them, that is why it is always important to withdraw with penicillin, and even that is no guarantee as my first horse who had the reaction no evidence of blood when I withdrew the 4 times during administration
Cheryl is right - its not the pen that causes the reaction, its the procaine.....sounds like cocaine, rite? Same reaction you can hit the tiniest of vessels and they will flip out! The majority get over it very quickly and do just fine if they don't hurt themselves, which is the main concern.
Two months out of vet school, I once injected Procaine pen G IM, drew back, no blood but I must have moved the needle a tiny bit - it really doesn't take much for a very scary reaction. I about died!
To the OP - kudos for posting and sharing your story! I think you could not have injected very much banamine IM/SC, so I don't anticipate you should see any kind of irritation/cellulitis if you're worried about that! |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | Question here, a few years ago I gave banamine IV to our mare, I do remember having trouble hitting the vein, and when I was done, she was sort of leaning up against the wall....then leaned on me and eyes rolled up in her head, and she went down. No thrashing or anything (we were in a stall). In just a moment, she stood up, shook her head, and seemed to be fine. I never knew what happened, but I assumed I hit the artery. I now give it either in the mouth or paste unless it is absolutely totally 100% necessary. Based on the descriptions on here, I'm not totally sure if that's what happened, but I'm thinking maybe I nicked the artery?
I coming to the end of 12 weeks of treating a stromal abcess. Several vets involved and all of them wanted Banamine used and I could not afford daily the paste, but I gave it liquid in the mouth, squirted it on treats and on top of her feed. Any way I could get it down with out doing IV. I was just too afraid to try it again.
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | It's possible you hit the artery but I would be inclined to wonder if IV banamine just doesn't agree with her?? Has anyone ever iv'd her with banamine since? This reaction was definitely a seizure, not just a drug reaction. Maybe yours was pushed too fast which can have an overwhelming "headache" like reaction on the body??
Thanks everyone for sharing, horse is VERY sore, he has some radial nerve damage and has an appointment for another acupuncture treatment tomorrow. Hopefully in a month this will all be behind me.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| 2H~QH - 2015-05-21 11:50 AM cheryl makofka - 2015-05-20 3:49 PM star1218 - 2015-05-20 3:44 PM so sorry you had to go thru this!
I have had a similar experience, giving a penicillin based shot and according to my vet I must have nicked a blood vessel. He said he's seen the reaction before. No sooner than I shut the stall door his eyes bulged, nostrils flared, and he was TERRIFIED of EVERYTHING in his stall, his hay, his bucket, the feeder, he was spinning and darn near backing himself into a sitting position as he had no where to go. I was praying he wouldn't try to jump out the window! It maybe lasted 2 or 3 minutes, but it felt like an eternity.
Vet said, it gets up into the brain (something like that) and can cause reactions like that.
Scary stuff! This particular horse has heaves and has had a LOT of shots in his day and only twice has this happened to him. Procamine reaction it isn't the penicillin that causes it, it is the local anesthetic mixed in the penicillin. The procamine stops the brain from processing and if the brain doesn't restart it kills them, that is why it is always important to withdraw with penicillin, and even that is no guarantee as my first horse who had the reaction no evidence of blood when I withdrew the 4 times during administration
Two months out of vet school, I once injected Procaine pen G IM, drew back, no blood but I must have moved the needle a tiny bit - it really doesn't take much for a very scary reaction. I about died!
To the OP - kudos for posting and sharing your story! I think you could not have injected very much banamine IM/SC, so I don't anticipate you should see any kind of irritation/cellulitis if you're worried about that!
Sure - I am not a vet lol, just sharing my experience injecting something incredibly common. It is scary and could definitely catch someone off guard if they didn't know a simple shot could cause a very extreme reaction. Good discussion. |
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Public Service for those giving IV drugs to their horses.