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Injecting a poorly bun at home.....

Veronica

Mama Doe
As you are all aware, Snowy has been on long term treatment for snuffles, without much luck.

Anyhow, to cut to the point (as it's a long long history of various investigations, nasal swabs, antibiotic courses etc....), he's back on an antibiotic (beginning with T....can't for the life of me remember the name off hand, but I will have a look on the prescription tomorrow), which does seem to make a slight improvement to his symptoms...whereas the others made no difference at all.

This drug has been injected once every two days, and he's been on the course for some weeks now....having breaks of 5 days to give his gut a rest (hes on probiotics too).
His symptoms do return when off the drugs, so my vet has advised we continue with this antitbiotic for a longer term to really give it a chance at killing off the infection (it's worth a shot, as we're running out of ideas fast!).

Because Snowy has been travelling to the vets ever two days, which is both stressful for me (trying to work it into my work timetable) and him, the vet prepared needles, and showed us (myself and my mum) how to inject him at home.

I tried.....got extremely stressed out....Snowy got extremely stressed out....so gave it up as a bad job.

My mum did a jab successfully at the vets under his supervision. However, tonight, we tried to give him his shot. To be honest, we still don't know what happened, but the needle went in, injected and pulled out (Snowy seemed happy throughout...but he's sooo used to it now)...and then a small trickle of blood started to appear.

Of course, my mum and I panicked....

.....we got a bit of tissue, and held it over the trickle (which wasn't much, but enough to make a visable mark on his white fur on his back). It sooned stopped, and Snowy carried on munching on hay as normal.

If only my mum and I could carry on as normal. We are now even moreso pertrified of needles +Snowy. We feel very queezy, and very guilty in the fear we've hurt him, or done something wrong.

Both of us have resigned ourselves to the fact we can't bring ourselves to do it again. This leaves us a problem though. There is no other option for Snowy's treatment, but and injection twice a day. Even discussing other antibiotics...the nasal swab he had show's he needs the 'strong stuff' injected in order to be most successful (we have tried all other ways in fairness too....in water, direct into the mouth etc....).

I can't take him up to the vets every two days, because of my work and surgery hours. Plus it is stressful on him, and it's not helping him.

We're really at a stuck as to what to do next!
:?:?:?:?:?:?
 
I don't know what else to suggest I'm afraid :?

Can you do it a few more times at the vets until you are confident?

I didn't like the thought of doing it at first but I had to, Lionel has one every day, a different one every other day and one once a week so there was no way I could go to the vets every day.

What i do is sit on the floor with him between my legs and my OH sits in front of me and strokes his head or feeds him treats while i do the injections, i have found this the easiest way to do it.
 
I don't know what else to suggest I'm afraid :?

Can you do it a few more times at the vets until you are confident?

I didn't like the thought of doing it at first but I had to, Lionel has one every day, a different one every other day and one once a week so there was no way I could go to the vets every day.

What i do is sit on the floor with him between my legs and my OH sits in front of me and strokes his head or feeds him treats while i do the injections, i have found this the easiest way to do it.

Oh don't get me wrong. Snowy is a little gem. He's so used to being a pin cushion, he doesn't even flinch. It's more our nervousness with a needle...and a small, precious bunny :love:
 
I had to do this for Grim when he had his jaw abscess and I made a total mess of it the first time. The syringe exploded and my boyfriend is severely allergic to penicillin, and it was my only one so I had to go the emergency vets to pick up another. And the vet on duty was the one that repeatedly advised me to have Grim put down "for the welfare of the rabbit". :evil:

Anyhoo, to cut a long story short, after a few times you kind of get used to how the needle feels when it goes in. When you practise at the vets it's usually with sterile water which goes in so much easier than medicine. You have to be calm and assertive. But at the end of the day if you're not comfortable let the vets do it, no one will think any less of you. Just know, I think every bunny mummy who has to inject at home starts of the same. It all goes wrong, we panic and the bun is just sitting there happily non the wiser. :roll:

Good luck either way.
 
I'm used to giving injections [work] but when it was my own bunny........:oops:After a few times you'll get used to it-I always make sure I change the needle after drawing up [from a multi dose vial] -it doesnt take much to blunt them and its so much easier with a sharp needle.Try to be confidant as if you hesitate its harder to do.
Good luck
 
I think the bleeding happens if you accidentally hit a vein. I've had it a few time too, but it's never caused a problem (I think it looks worse that it actually is!).

I'd say give it another go...it does get easier...Promise!
 
It does get easier. Tetracycline (which is what I suspect you may have been given) is quite easy to inject - you want to try using penicillin - now that's a NIGHTMARE!

Some people suggest drawing the antibiotic up in one needle and then putting a new needle on to actually inject with as the 'drawing up' can slightly blunt the needle and make it harder to do. I agree with a previous post, make an appointment at your vet specifically to practise injections - maybe the vet nurses can do this for you. I hated doing it to Flora at first but it really did get easier. I've hit a vein before too, which is very scarey :shock: but it didn't seem to worry Flora at all. She's a dream to inject really.

Good luck with it and hope you sort everything out.
 
I have to inject Inca once a day with antibiotics. I find it ok, but as the others have said i didnt to begin with! :roll:

One of the first few times the needle exploded all over her fur and it was a greasy matted mess for a bit!

It does get easier. I just know that if i dont do it then no one will, so i need to!
 
I know how you feel. My cat Boo is diabetic and to start with I had to inject her twice a day, now it is just once a day. You really do get use to it and your pet will adapt to it as part of their normal routine.

I practiced the feel of it piercing the skin on a satsuma. You feel almost a little pop as it goes through. Do you inject into the scruff, that's the best place I believe but move it around that area to avoid hardend scar tissue forming.

It's not as bad as it seems at first, do it quickly and with confidence and your pet will not pick up your stress vibes.

Rabswood
 
It does get easier over time :) The first time i injected one of the foster buns, i was nervous, and he jumped which made it a nightmare. The following day i was scared, but i knew i had to do it, otherwise we'd of had to go to the vets daily. I was fine after that :) I gave him a spring green leaf, and then he was fine and just sat there to have the injection :) Get the vet to talk you through it/show you what to do, and then do the injection in front of the vet for the first time :) xxx
 
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