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 Expert
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| Ok I need suggestions on teaching a colt to be ok with needles! My 3 year old was fine with vaccines , little tense when vet sedated for teeth but we made it through. I started him on adequan and he got his 3rd dose today. First two were fine. He could care less. Today he was fine with the needle but as soon as I went to hook up the syringe he fought me pretty hard. I got treats and we made it through 4 needles later. Lol. Tonight I finally just grabbed some neck skin and he let me do it. Any ideas??? At one point the needle and syringe (still attached) fell on the ground. None of the medication was exposed so I changed needles. The medication should still be fine yea? Thanks !
Edited by FLITASTIC 2017-05-02 9:10 PM
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I have had excellent results giving shots in the pec muscle. Stick the needle in after rubbing that area a few times and then hook up the syringe. I often do it while they are eating their mush/grain etc. Never had a reaction. I think so many issues are from us being nervous and they feed off of that. I think the meds would be fine as long as you changed needles. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I dont give mine any time to think about it, I try not let them see whats about to happen, I do some brushing with a stiffer brush and just brush harder in the area I'm going to stick them in and pop the needle in and with my back to their face then I fix the syringe onto the needle, mine never even flinch.. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | FLITASTIC - 2017-05-02 9:02 PM Ok I need suggestions on teaching a colt to be ok with needles! My 3 year old was fine with vaccines , little tense when vet sedated for teeth but we made it through. I started him on adequan and he got his 3rd dose today. First two were fine. He could care less. Today he was fine with the needle but as soon as I went to hook up the syringe he fought me pretty hard. I got treats and we made it through 4 needles later. Lol. Tonight I finally just grabbed some neck skin and he let me do it. Any ideas??? At one point the needle and syringe (still attached) fell on the ground. None of the medication was exposed so I changed needles. The medication should still be fine yea? Thanks !
I think your trying to be to easy on him, just do it like its something you do every day, I dont push the needle in I stick it.. |
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| I don't dink around. He is just super smart. I will work on him. |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | I had a mare that was awful about needles. I bought her as an untouched yearling and the first time she was vaccinated it was fine (she jumped, but didn't panic), but every time after that she would go ballistic if she THOUGHT you had a needle and were anywhere near her neck. I could be holding a bottle of detangler and reach up to brush her mane and she would try to get away from me. It didn't help that for the longest time my dad always did the vaccinating and he would dilly-dally and take forever fiddling with her neck, and it would amp her up and freak her out because she had too much time to think about what was going to happen.
So I started doing it myself, and with her what I ended up doing is I would wear a sweatshirt, and have it ready to go in my pocket. I would do a regular grooming session and out of the blue give it to her in the hind end, because she never expected it there. She would usually jolt a little bit and give me a dirty look, but I would just keep brushing and act like nothing happened.
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| I have no advice for you, but if you can find a way to nip it in the bud, it'll make your life easier no doubt. My mare has super sensitive skin. She doesn't freak out at the sight of the needle and syringe but as soon as it goes in she tenses up and has a reaction to her vaccines for several days. She gets bug eyed being poked with a finger. Granted, she probably had a rough life knowing her background. Good luck! |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | I worked for one of the best vets in ND for a few years-he was so nonchalant about injecting horses-the horses almost begged him to poke them!  He always stood to the side of the horse scratched them a few times, held the needle in his right hand, tapped 3-5 times pretty brusquely with the back of his hand and "dropped" the needle into place-after attaching the syringe he would scratch them with his left hand just below the point of contact. He taught me well-I've had a few owners ask me to "just give the horse the shot" and when I'm done most of them say huh-he didn't kick your head in-these people are definitely NOT friends  I went to youtube to see if there was any examples of how I've been taught......I would not recommend watching any of them  |
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| Thanks all. This horse probably didnt get many shots, just vaccines once a year. He was totally fine with the first few, but I'm sure he is just anticipating the poke now. He freaked out at the clippers first time I tried and it didn't take long for him to get over that with some treats and TLC, I will do the same. Every time I groom I will just rub like I'm going to poke him and either won't do it, or use a toothpick or something... Its weird cause he doesn't mind the needle going in, just the syringe after. lol |
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | You said you grabbed some neck skin and he was fine after that.. looks like you found your solution. I don't give my mares enough time to fight me. The needle and syringe are hidden on my person and while grooming I pull it out and just stick them. I don't tip toe around with it either. Never had a problem. |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Good luck. I have a mare that is phobic of needles, she has VERY sensative skin. She can just see it sitting on a bench I swear and loses her mind. She gets dormosedan gel before I can do any needle work on her. I can walk up and pinch her all day long, poke her with the cap on of the syringe, you name it. But that dang needle makes her brain fall out.
eta: she did have a bad experience with a vet that caused the issue I have now unfortunately.
Edited by SmokinGirlie 2017-05-03 11:01 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 1357
Location: Mississippi | I have one that Is petrified of the needle as well. He's also scared of the vet, horsehoer, and just about any other male that comes up to him until he gets to know him. Demosadan gel nor oral Ace even touch this problem - he is just petrified. Vet doesnt even have to have a needle on him - he just KNOWS. Yearly vaccinations are a pain, and we just struggle through it. Fortunately, he has not been sick enough to have to have antibiotic shots or anything like that. I feel for any others that have this problem. It's a headache. |
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | wildride - 2017-05-03 12:20 PM I have one that Is petrified of the needle as well. He's also scared of the vet, horsehoer, and just about any other male that comes up to him until he gets to know him. Demosadan gel nor oral Ace even touch this problem - he is just petrified. Vet doesnt even have to have a needle on him - he just KNOWS. Yearly vaccinations are a pain, and we just struggle through it. Fortunately, he has not been sick enough to have to have antibiotic shots or anything like that. I feel for any others that have this problem. It's a headache. I have to use 2 tubes of gel on the way to the vet, and THEN sedate mine. It's fun.... lol
Edited by SmokinGirlie 2017-05-03 12:28 PM
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| I just left a message with my vet asking if I could get a couple tubes of it for my colt. He gets shoes for the first time next week as well so might be good idea to have. How long does it last in their system? |
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| It is like anything else you prep the horse for the event ..
Take an empty syringe and rub on them with it so they get familiar
with something in your hand. .. even their face .. let them see it.
Then pinch horse in the shot area for 5 seconds ..
smooth out pinch mark with finger ..
Push the nozzle against neck for 5 seconds as if giving a shot
Then hold finger on that area as if you were letting blood in
the needle area coagulate so no meds will seep out under the
skin and create an abscess.
Learning to keep the needle in the syringe and pressing the shot
against the neck keeps it secure in case horse moves with no
wiggle of the syringe. You keep the cheek of your hand pressed
on the neck to secure your fingers that are holding the syringe/needle.
NO sticky feet ... be ready to move if you need to ....
You move with the horse and try not to wiggle the syringe/needle
around.
That needle is sharp pointed and will shred the muscle if you
don't keep the entire syringe pressed against the neck ..
You can practice this on your own arm or anytime with your
horse... OR ...Hold a pen as if writing with cheek of hand on desk and
peck the pen on some paper as if you were a chicken pecking
the ground. Keep the cheek of your hand pressed on the desk.
Then do it with a syringe while pushing the plunger ...
This is the movement you want to use when giving a shot.
Try giving yourself a shot by sticking the needle in first and then
wiggling it around trying to get a syringe attached ...
99% of the time you will see blood from the needle or needle hole..
This is how you create problems in the shot area!!
NOTE: Try not to use a size 16 or 18 needle when a 20 or 22
will work with the solution you are shooting.
GOOD LUCK!!
Edited by BARRELHORSE USA 2017-05-03 5:30 PM
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | y'all sort of seem to be making this way harder than it needs to be.
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