remember you are balancing the length of time to
get the solution in vs actual pain from the needle. The most pain is from
the initial injection and then when the med goes in. I prefer
fast!!! Also, thump the area several times before actually putting in the
needle. Let the horse settle down a bit before injection the
solution. Sometimes doing this during graining time is helpful as the
horse is distracted.
My first horse got strangles the week after I
bought her. Doing those shots for 10 days was not easy. She was
barely halter broke.........................................
I want to be able to use the finest needle I can since my horse hates
needles so much. I don't have something to give right now, but was cleaning
out my stuff and have 20g needles. I was wondering if there were even smaller
ones available. Guess it depends on the liquid too - but penicillin seems to
be o.k. in a 20g or smaller...
The vet showed me that too - putting just needle in first before
attaching the syringe - a little tricky though when the horse is all over the
place. She did show improvement last time though, so maybe with time she will
get used to it.
Lysane
Mary Ann Spencer
<maryann.spencer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
generally needle gauges range from 16 to 30, can get most thru vet
supply and at most feed stores. I have given penicillin in smaller than
18. The horse version is not as thick as the human version. You
can get by with the 20. I use 21s for people instead of the 18. I just
have to push harder to get it in fast. With the new disposable
needles, pain from the needle going in is not much of a factor unless you
resterilzed and reuse the needle.
Don't forget to aspirate. I have had more blood returns from injecting
horses than any human and I do 100s of humans. A vet showed me to put
the needle in first and then attach the syringe. That way you know if
it is in a blood vessel and can move to another injection site.
If the horse moves and you are holding onto the syringe, you will
definitely be hurting the horse and he will move even more. Good
luck.
An 18 is much larger than a 20, but necessary for some
things such as Penicillin. That being said, if you are giving PNC,
take it out of the refrigerator, draw it up in the syringe, and warm it in
your hands for a few minutes. It will hurt the horse less and be
easier to inject. (I assume your are giving a med to a horse?)
If you have a choice of giving the med with a 20 or 18, definitely go
with the 20. Trust me on this one.
