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Injection reassurance please.

SOAD

SOAD

Wise Old Thumper
Hi I just need some reassurance on giving bunny injections, have any of you had any bad experiences?, I get so worried in case I do it wrong. Once I've inserted it I'm pulling the syringe up a bit to make sure there is no blood in it, but I'm just worried I'm going to total Buster. I'm worried the needle will snap in his neck, do you have any good/bad experiences with it?

Thanks :?
 
I had to do it for Zeus. My vet showed me what to do then watched me give the first injection.

I was very nervous back at home and it helped that Brendan was there to hold Zeus and stroke him to calm him down. I had Zeus on the table (easy height to work at). Then pulled up the scruff and following the line of my thumb inserted the needle deep into the scruff. I pulled up to check for blood and must admit I never seemed to get any just air bubbles. Then injected slowly with a smooth fluid push before retracting the needle.

Watch out though as I managed to scratch myself with the needle on the way out once. I also had some blood come out after I injected once and I panicked and phoned my vet - he said that I probably nicked a vein on the way out as long as there was no blood when I sucked up it was fine.

Mine was penicillin though, which isn't too bad if it does get in the blood stream.

Caz
 
I have had to inject many bunnys! they were all fine didn't feel a thing except Lilly! She bent the needle in her neck as she started fighting my mum when i had started giving her meds! But thats the worst!
 
Thanks Caz, it's a scarey thing to do, I'm also panicy in case I just shoot it out the other side of him, if you know what I mean, I need to do it every night for a month :?
 
Tree said:
Thanks Caz, it's a scarey thing to do, I'm also panicy in case I just shoot it out the other side of him, if you know what I mean, I need to do it every night for a month :?
Click to expand...

Just ask your vet to give you a supply of fresh needles it makes it easier! Also if they have them ask them for insuline needles they are smaller and less intrusive XX
 
Phill said:
I have had to inject many bunnys! they were all fine didn't feel a thing except Lilly! She bent the needle in her neck as she started fighting my mum when i had started giving her meds! But thats the worst!
Click to expand...

OMG, at least they bend and not break, I've been worried that it will snap in his neck.
 
Phill said:
Tree said:
Thanks Caz, it's a scarey thing to do, I'm also panicy in case I just shoot it out the other side of him, if you know what I mean, I need to do it every night for a month :?
Click to expand...

Just ask your vet to give you a supply of fresh needles it makes it easier! Also if they have them ask them for insuline needles they are smaller and less intrusive XX
Click to expand...

They've given me a large stock of needles, but they are thicker, becuase the liquid is thick, not nice. Although Buster is a good boy and will be still.
 
Tree said:
Phill said:
I have had to inject many bunnys! they were all fine didn't feel a thing except Lilly! She bent the needle in her neck as she started fighting my mum when i had started giving her meds! But thats the worst!
Click to expand...

OMG, at least they bend and not break, I've been worried that it will snap in his neck.
Click to expand...

Nope they wont snap! i have never had one snap on me yet!
 
Cool, although I'll probably be the first one ever to have one snap :roll:
 
My vet set up the syringes for me as I only had one a week he set them up with the correct dose then popped the needle guards back on and they were ready to go.

Be careful about sticking yourself or your OH with the needle though - I am lucky and not allergic to penicillin but my vet pointed out that when I scratched myself I could have had a nasty reaction.

I have also injected ivermectin (panomec) and the vet was very quick to caution me on the fact this medication could actually damage the tissue and cause it to go black if you stick yourself!

Just more thoughts to worry you ;) - I am sure you will be fine just aim down not across the scruff!

Caz
 
:lol: Oh God I should say I'm on a course of it as, I'll probably get me more then Buster :lol: . Thank you for your help, I'll be careful.
 
I have been injecting rabbits every three days for 8 months now and haven't really had a problem yet, although the first time was a bit scary :roll:

They object to it far less than they object to oral baytril.

They have a lot of loose skin around their necks which makes it quite easy to keep doing it in different places so they don't get sore. I worried about going in one side and out the other at first, but it never happened.
I have scratched myself with the needle, and even given myself a needle stick a couple of times, but I don't seem to be allergic to penicillin luckily. These all happened when I uncapped the needle too soon, before the rabbit was in position, so leave the cap on as long as poss and cap it again immediatly.
 
OK guys , you want scary, you try injecting 400gram newborn babies of 23 weeks gestation, now that is SCARY!!!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Tree, you'll be fine, just grit your teeth and get on with it, ........ or else bring them over to Burton and I'll do them for you :D :D
 
I never did a medicine type injection via needle, but I did SQ fluid for 7 mth. straight. That was easy.

Just make sure you don't push the needle too far. w/ SQ fluid for instance, I found the loosest part of their skin is about 3 inch behind their neck

(look at the back of their neck, measure 3 inch, lift their skin on their back, you can see it's very loose), and if your vet didn't specify a specific spot, that would be the easiest spot for a needle as there is a pocket under the skin and the needle just slide into the pocket.

If you insert the needle elsewhere, just make sure it doesn't go too deep. But those needle never snap.
 
Ah good luck Tree :) I have to vaccinate dogs + cats at work, it was scary at first but easy now :) Microchipping is the worst cos the needle is much thicker :(
 
Thanks guys for all your help and support, I did it last night, but I wasn't very good at it :oops: , I managed to pull the needle up as I pushed it down and lost some of the liquid out side of his body :roll: , I feel more confident now, Buster was golden even though I was stabbing him like a pin cusion, he just stood tehre and let me do it. I will be better tonight nerves just got the better of me.

Thanks again :D
 
if you are by yourself, what I used to do is, hold him w/ my right hand while he is on the table, lying flat on a piece of thick towel, then I use my left knee to gently hold him down, and my knee would be sitting on top of his ass. that way, my hands are free, and I can do the injection while I calm him down. And if you do it fast enough, most rabbit lay still for a brief period of time w/o getting annoyed in any case.
 
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