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 World 4D Champ
Posts: 28264
    
Location: PA | I will admit....im not the best at giving my horses shots. I just really nervous, as I don't do it very often. Once every couple years, if that. My vet gives all yearly shots herself. Unfotunarely, I have to give my mare a shot tonight, and I already find myself being a nervous wreck. Which I KNOW doesn't help the situation. She can be a bit jumpy when getting shots, so tht doesn't help my nervous level. This is really something I NEED to get over, and get comfortable with.
Are there ways of "practicing" without it being on a horse? Any tips for tonight? In the past, I've used the tap tap tap method, and that seems to have worked best. Who all inserts the needle first, then attaches the syringe? Never done that...
Any tips/tricks to help the nervous nelly stay calm, and relaxed is much appreciated!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | I wish I could help you! I HATE giving a shot in the muscle. I can hit a vein at night with the horse trotting beside me.... but muscle shots give me the heebys. I don't do the needle first thing, I stick with needle and syringe. I do pull my plunger back to make sure I'm in the muscle though. I got over my fear somewhat while working for the prison- we had 90 broodmares and gave all our own vaccinations. When you have that many and half of them would rather kill you than get a shot, you learn real fast how to stick and go!! Good luck! Take a deep breath and have someone hold her if possible. That way she's less likely to jump when you stick her and scare you both. Distraction helps mine that is bad to stick. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| You could always practice on a neighbor or a friend first. Its better if you do it while they are sleeping. I think they secretly love it, but they have to do the whole "call the cops thing" just for the show. |
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World 4D Champ
Posts: 28264
Location: PA | Ashley Lynn - 2017-04-26 9:36 AM I wish I could help you! I HATE giving a shot in the muscle. I can hit a vein at night with the horse trotting beside me.... but muscle shots give me the heebys. I don't do the needle first thing, I stick with needle and syringe. I do pull my plunger back to make sure I'm in the muscle though. I got over my fear somewhat while working for the prison- we had 90 broodmares and gave all our own vaccinations. When you have that many and half of them would rather kill you than get a shot, you learn real fast how to stick and go!! Good luck! Take a deep breath and have someone hold her if possible. That way she's less likely to jump when you stick her and scare you both. Distraction helps mine that is bad to stick.
I have NEVER done IV....so can't imagine how I would be doing that! 
She's a broodmare, and need to give her a shot of lutalyse tonight. It'll be just me, so im already prepared for her to be a bit jumpy...the quicker I can do it to her, the better.
I'll just tell my husband thats what I need....MORE broodmares, so I have to learn to do it quick and easy!!   |
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World 4D Champ
Posts: 28264
Location: PA | Whiteboy - 2017-04-26 9:55 AM You could always practice on a neighbor or a friend first. Its better if you do it while they are sleeping. I think they secretly love it, but they have to do the whole "call the cops thing" just for the show.
Better yet, i'll just practice on my husband first...im sure he won't care. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | BRcwgrl81 - 2017-04-26 9:09 AM
Whiteboy - 2017-04-26 9:55 AM You could always practice on a neighbor or a friend first. Its better if you do it while they are sleeping. I think they secretly love it, but they have to do the whole "call the cops thing" just for the show. Â
Better yet, i'll just practice on my husband first...im sure he won't care. Â Â
Discuss getting more broodmares first!! |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| A good rule of thumb that my vet taught me is to make a triangle with your first finger and thumbs. Place it with your thumbs on the shoulder ridge about 3-4 inches down from top of the neck. Basically the widest part of the lower part of their neck. This gives you plenty of space to insert the needle deep into the muscle.
Use a syringe that has a little space left after you have the dose of medicine in it. So for a 5cc dose, use a 10cc syringe. When you insert the needle, you can pull back on the plunger a very small bit. If you get blood, remove needle and move over a little bit. If nothing happens, you are clear to give the shot. Make sure you go straight in, horizontal to the ground.
I pull out and pinch the skin a few times before I give the shot to give them sensation of something pinching/poking. That usually helps. |
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 Poor Cracker Girl
Posts: 12150
Location: Feeding mosquitos, FL | I'm one of those weirdos that stabs, then attaches the syringes. For some reason I catch hell stabbing one with a syringe attached. Too uncoordinated. I also dont tap before I stab because I find it just tips them off that I'm fixing to get them and they get tense, shake their head, etc. But I also give IM shots once a month so they already know whats up.
Oh and depending on the horse, I have better luck going in the butt muscle.
Edited by TrackinBubba 2017-04-26 9:42 AM
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | Nateracer - 2017-04-26 7:39 AM
A good rule of thumb that my vet taught me is to make a triangle with your first finger and thumbs.  Place it with your thumbs on the shoulder ridge about  3-4 inches down from top of the neck.  Basically the widest part of the lower part of their neck.  This gives you plenty of space to insert the needle deep into the muscle.
Use a syringe that has a little space left after you have the dose of medicine in it. Â So for a 5cc dose, use a 10cc syringe. Â When you insert the needle, you can pull back on the plunger a very small bit. Â If you get blood, remove needle and move over a little bit. Â If nothing happens, you are clear to give the shot. Â Make sure you go straight in, horizontal to the ground.Â
I pull out and pinch the skin a few times before I give the shot to give them sensation of something pinching/poking. Â That usually helps.Â
This. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | I don't do shots often but when I have to..I rub down the neck almost in a massage on the horse for just a few moments then a quick stab with just the needle then I attach the syringe. The barn owner at my barn had me practice on few fruits first when I was younger so I would get the quick stab down because she says they take it better that way. It worked for me and I've never had an issue with anything I've had to give IM.
Edited by MidWest1452 2017-04-26 10:20 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 260
Location: Gonzales texas | There are some very good YouTube videos showing how to do the triangle on the neck etc. Im sure you already know how to do that but it will help your confidence. Watch it A couple times to reassure yourself that you DO know what you're doing!! Then take a deep breath and tap tap tap Stick!! Good luck!!
Edited by shelltc 2017-04-26 10:21 AM
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I can honestly say I've NEVER had to administer a shot, and am happy about that. Granted, it's a good thing to know how to do. I have a friend that showed me how, I still wouldn't be comfortable without practicing though.
She always tap, tap, tap, poke. With just the needle, then attached the syringe. But to practice, she said to use a firm Orange or grapefruit. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| All my vets ALWAYS say do needle first on IM shots because if they do move and jump you won't lose your medication. I would hate for a horse to jump and move and dump a whole 50.00 adequan dose into the dirt. If I have a jumpy one I put needle in and let them calm down before puts meds in. for IV I do use syringe and needle together if possible. But same thing, if I have a jumpy one I am not dumping a 100.00 dose of Legend for a colt/idiot. lol |
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 It Goes On
Posts: 2262
Location: Muskogee, OK | Sometimes I like to pinch a little skin with my opposite hand and insert the needle right beside the skin I'm pinching. The pinch gives the horses just a little something else to think about.
I don't usually stick the needle separate from the syringe unless the horse is excessively jumpy. But when you are learning how to give injections it may be helpful so you don't lose your medicine if the horse does act a little jumpy. I've actually had that work against me once on a SUPER needle shy mare. I got the needle in her neck and then she would not let me or anyone else near her to hook the syringe up and administer the medicine. I was the third veterinarian to have seen that mare and they failed to mention to me that it had been an issue in the past. That's an extreme situation...
You'll be fine!  |
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 Go Your Own Way
Posts: 4947
Location: SE KS | I always do needle first then you know immediately if you have hit a vein - then apply syringe...
just jab in muscle - no blood put syringe on and give shot.
the quicker you do it the easier for everyone.
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | Give it in her chest....don't think just insert, shoot and done. |
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 Peat and Repeat
Posts: 2773
Location: IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD AT LEAST THEY KNOW ME HERE | https://youtu.be/gejEDjh_uWs |
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Peat and Repeat
Posts: 2773
Location: IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD AT LEAST THEY KNOW ME HERE | http://www.gvequine.com/Pages/ht_GIVE_INTRA-MUSCULAR_INJECTIONS.php |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Dinero10 - 2017-04-26 12:54 PM I always do needle first then you know immediately if you have hit a vein - then apply syringe...
just jab in muscle - no blood put syringe on and give shot.
the quicker you do it the easier for everyone.
This^^^ I always do the needle first if you hit a vein the blood will shoot out of the needle, I dont diddle, as soon as I get the needle in then I attach the syringe, but make sure you attach the syringe tight are you will lose the med. |
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World 4D Champ
Posts: 28264
Location: PA | Thanks everyone!!!
Not gonna lie, still nervous and counting down the hours until i get home and have to do this...haha....I worry about doing needle first that i'll be so nervous I won't get the syringe on quick enough! haha...
But thanks for all the suggestions!!!
Hopefully I have a game plan, and all goes well today!! |
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