Injection, couldn't do it :(

I just tried to give Yuki his penicillin injection and majorly screwed up! His skin is so thick! My cat has thin skin, so it was easy to give him insulin needles, but I didn't know a rabbit's skin was so thick! I was scared to push down too hard, and I thought it was in, and the penicillin ended up on his fur! There was still a little left in the needle, so I tried again and finally managed to get under his skin, but he didn't get much at all, but I won't give him another dose. I quickly washed the stuff that got on his fur off with soap and water since I didn't want him ingesting any of it. Would that be enough?

I'm so upset right now. There is no way I can do this again, so it looks like I'm going to have to bring him to our local vet everyday this week.

Sakura6267 said:

I just tried to give Yuki his penicillin injection and majorly screwed up! His skin is so thick! My cat has thin skin, so it was easy to give him insulin needles, but I didn't know a rabbit's skin was so thick! I was scared to push down too hard, and I thought it was in, and the penicillin ended up on his fur! There was still a little left in the needle, so I tried again and finally managed to get under his skin, but he didn't get much at all, but I won't give him another dose. I quickly washed the stuff that got on his fur off with soap and water since I didn't want him ingesting any of it. Would that be enough?

I'm so upset right now. There is no way I can do this again, so it looks like I'm going to have to bring him to our local vet everyday this week.

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Whereabouts do you live? Maybe someone close could help?

Rhian33 said:

Whereabouts do you live? Maybe someone close could help?

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I think America.

Please do not blame yourself, some bunnies do have thick skin so you wernt to know.
Did your vet get you to do few in the surgery? That is what our vet did when Jims was having 2 injections a day.
But we were still unable to do it, my Husband was in charge I could not face doing it I thought I would just screw it up, he managed to get it in his skin but as soon as he started to release the meds Jims flipped out and ended up bending the needle so we had to go back to the vets.
Please do not be so hard on yourself.
I would imagine that if you have cleaned his fur the medication will be off now, plus he probably would not actually be able to reach the area.
I would advise you to take him to the vets first thing tomorrow unless he detiriates over night then it would be an emergency visit tonight.

Jaysmonkey said:

I think America.

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Ah, bit far for most of us to lend a hand then. That's a shame

I'm in Canada and don't have anyone around here that can help me. The vet told me it was ok if he missed one dose and just take him to my local vet for tomorrow's dose. I'm just concerned that he ingesting some Penicillin. I washed it off with soap and water, but he can reach the spot and was licking at it. I dried it off with a towel. I just hope he didn't ingest any.

On top of that, I screwed up when I took the needle out and there was a little bit of blood at the injection spot. I feel so bad because that probably hurt! It stopped bleeding now, at least. I'm awaiting a call from my vet to see what she has to say about it.

Its really hard to do - I tried when we had to do Viola Rose - and although i could inject the practice fluid when it came to the actual penicillin its quite thick and so wouldn't go in - and then when the vet showed me she fluffed it too!!! (and she is VERY experienced). So don't feel bad. And washing it with water and soap will get rid of it - don't worry.

I'm injecting Teddy at the moment....was scared at first, but have learned the feeling. Can you have a go with some saline at the vets. They can show you and maybe you could do the saline before you do the penicillin for the first few goes, so you can "see" what it feels like.

It's just for this week that it has to be everyday, so I think it'll be ok to just bring him to our vet. I feel more comfortable having a professional do it anyway. It's just something I don't want to even try again, especially that I accidentally hurt him in the process.

Thanks for the reassurance. My vet also said the soap and water would have taken it out of his fur, and he didn't lick that much at it. I've given him a couple of carrots now just to make sure he keeps eating, and because I feel bad. I hope he forgives me!

Are you using a large enough needle? The insulin ones are too fine. I give hundreds of injections to the rabbbits here. I use a 21 guage needle, 5/8th in length. Penicillin goes in easily from this size. If your buck is unneutered that is why his skin is thick, they get that way for protection during a fight.
The penicillin I use only has to be injected every three days, if you really can't do the injections if your vet used a long acting version you wouldn't have to go so often, which would mean less stress.

i dont think i would be able to do an injection either, im not even brave enough to clip claws. if its just for a week it probably would be less stressful to get the vets to do it. dont feel bad tho at least you tried

I used to really struggle with this too, and still don't like doing it.
Was the same needle used to draw up the antibiotic as you used to inject him. If he has a tough skin you may find it helps by using a new needle to inject it.

I can't clip claws either. It would be a lot less stressful for both him and I if the vet does it. I'm still shaky from it, and I can't help feeling bad that he got hurt.

doorkeeper said:

Are you using a large enough needle? The insulin ones are too fine. I give hundreds of injections to the rabbbits here. I use a 21 guage needle, 5/8th in length. Penicillin goes in easily from this size. If your buck is unneutered that is why his skin is thick, they get that way for protection during a fight.
The penicillin I use only has to be injected every three days, if you really can't do the injections if your vet used a long acting version you wouldn't have to go so often, which would mean less stress.

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The needles are pretty big and long, not sure what kind they are. They're not insulin needles. I didn't have any problems actually injecting the penicillin, it was getting under the skin. Yuki is not neutered so it makes sense that his skin is thicker. My vet actually wanted to do once a week injections at first, then changed her mind because she didn't know how well he would react to penicillin so she wanted to try a smaller dose once a day first, then move on to weekly injections after this Saturday.

Aww, I've no advice, but I know our vet is always surprised at how thick Squidgy's skin is! Not something I'd like to do, so I'm with you about getting the vet to do it.

The weird thing is that Yuki is really cooperative and doesn't move when I poke him. He's a really good bunny. It's the stabbing into his skin that I can't do. I just can't bring myself to push down so hard to get through that tough skin. When I had to give my cat needles, it wasn't nearly so difficult since the skin is much thinner and didn't take any effort to push down. I really thought I would be able to do this, especially since I had experience with giving animals needles, but I just can't. It's kind of annoying to have to go everyday to the vet, but it's the only way he's going to get the injection.

i used to be so scared when I was injecting my bunnies. I was literally dripping with sweat incase I injected into a vein or something....but it really does just take practice. I can do it nowadays fine but don't like doing it one bit! If it makes you feel better can't you take your bun and let the vet do it?

sounds familiar! i had to inject both bisc and matt with penicillin at one point and i made a right mess of it! matts skin was so tough and the needle kept blocking up and i'd get penicillin all over them....then panic that they would injest it...spend ages making sure i wiped it over with water! then cried...then panicked all night i hadn't wiped it off enough!

the vet said just wipe any off the fur with water and it will be fine. he did this when even he struggled to get the needle into matts skin, and squirted penicillin everywhere!!!

it takes a bit to get it right. i managed it eventually.

don't worry...and i assume the vet demonstrated to you how to do it...? just ask them to show you again, and let them see you do it aswell. vet watched me get it wrong a few times!

don't worry though...

Ingesting penicillin is what I was most worried about too, but I think I got it all, and I wiped it twice with soap and water. I don't usually use soap to wash him off, but I have used this soap on him before and he was fine. I don't think he ingested any, at least I hope not. I'm worried now about that small hole the needle made when I pulled it out. It bled a bit, but stopped right away. I hope it's not causing him any pain or gets infected. My vet will have a look at it tomorrow when I bring him in.

I had a fear I would get him in the vein too, and it was so hard to pull back the plunger when the needle is already in the skin. I think it's just safer all together to let the vet do it. I hope this won't be long term, and if all goes well, he'll only need a once a week injection for about 6 weeks after this week is over. I will still bring him to the vet for it, but at least I won't have to go everyday like I have to this week.

The vet did demonstrate it, and I know I was doing everything right with prepping and everything, but no matter what I just can't get used to pushing down on his skin. I'm so scared I'll hurt him again. It just freaks me out to have to push so hard to get the needle through. I freaked out the first few times I had to give needles to my cat too, but I got used to it after a few days. However, I don't think I could get used to injecting my bunny. It's just so much harder.

Hi I know how you feel about injecting through the skin, as my rabbit is un neutered which means his skin is tougher, angle the needle at a 45 degree helps rather than aiming straight down or straight through the other side, i was shown once by the vet and twice being supervised and then i was left to do it by myself...can be daunting at first but it does come with practice. My rabbit now tends to know now when he's due for his next dose (every 48hours) so far we done six weeks and now the vet wants to see me in 3 months time. So far we are doing well and fingers crossed will stay that way.

Let us know how you doing

I might have to do it by myself if he needs more than once a week injections. I'll know by Saturday if that's the case. If all goes well, he'll only need an injection once a week which will be pretty easy then to keep letting my vet do it for me. I know how to give the needle correctly, it's about the same as when I had to give my cat insulin needles, I just really want to avoid doing it myself if I can. Just thinking about sticking a needle through the tough skin on my bunny gives me the shivers!

I've brought him in everyday this week, and the penicillin seems to be working since he doesn't have as much discharge in his nose anymore. So that's a huge relief! Then there shouldn't be any problem with trimming his teeth this Saturday.