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Tips for giving injections at home?

Mandmcc

Mandmcc

Alpha Buck
Hi guys,
My little Cory has an abscess and as part of his treatment I've to give him an injection every two days; I did the first one tonight. It went ok but I found it quite hard to get the medicine in and ended up taking the needle out starting a tiny bit and then I tried again on the other side of his neck and it worked fine. I think I was more stressed out than he was, I hated it! Does anyone have any experience or tips? Also was it ok to release the injection a bit before I did it?

ebbbcecf4c0cf41b6c5fa0e9049df34f.jpg



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MightyMax said:
Isn't he a beautiful boy? :love:

I'm sorry to hear he has an abscess. Are you injecting penicillin?

I think most of us who have had to inject don't really like it.
I know after the many years I've been doing it, I still have to take a deep breath :)

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Inject/inject_en.htm

This video is also good - excuse the music!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDFiXIgIfOE

Especially important is the holding of the injection site and a little massage afterwards. Especially with penicillin, it's important that none goes onto the fur, as it's bad to be ingested orally :)

Post away any more questions :wave:
Click to expand...

Yikes!!! I didn't know to draw back to check for blood first!!! I could have killed him!! And I missed the massage afterwards although I did give him a good rub checking that it hadn't come back out I suppose... and then I wiped his neck with cooled boiled water to make sure there was none left on his skin. I think drawing the plunger out a little to check for blood will also release the stopper a bit and make it easier for the rest of the medicine to flow! Phew!! The things we do for love, I'm slightly traumatised, I may be a nervous wreck by the end of it!


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Another thing to consider is using a fresh needle for injecting, not the same one you used to draw the medicine up from the bottle. This ensures it is properly sharp and will go in easier :)
 
MightyMax said:
You never said - is it penicillin? Are they pre-drawn syringes? They aren't always the easiest to use :)
Click to expand...

Yes they are pre drawn needles and it is Depocillin and I've to be careful about not spilling any on his coat/skin!


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ripminnie said:
Another thing to consider is using a fresh needle for injecting, not the same one you used to draw the medicine up from the bottle. This ensures it is properly sharp and will go in easier :)
Click to expand...

I agree with this advice. Pre-drawn syringes are not the easiest to use. Penicillin can sometimes become "cloggy". I also find it easier once the needle has penetrated the skin, to transfer the hand that has been holding the tent or pocket you have made, to steadying the syringe.

It also helps if the rabbit is calm and still when you are doing it! It is really not a pleasant thing to have to do. I hope that the task becomes easier for you the more that you do.
 
ripminnie said:
Another thing to consider is using a fresh needle for injecting, not the same one you used to draw the medicine up from the bottle. This ensures it is properly sharp and will go in easier :)
Click to expand...

Thanks :) the vet made the syringes up for me in advance and put fresh needles on so they were all ready to go but I feel like it's still difficult to get the medicine out on the first push!


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Omi said:
I agree with this advice. Pre-drawn syringes are not the easiest to use. Penicillin can sometimes become "cloggy". I also find it easier once the needle has penetrated the skin, to transfer the hand that has been holding the tent or pocket you have made, to steadying the syringe.

It also helps if the rabbit is calm and still when you are doing it! It is really not a pleasant thing to have to do. I hope that the task becomes easier for you the more that you do.
Click to expand...

Cory is doing his bit bless him, he just sat really still and waited for me even though I had to jab him twice [emoji24] The ear drops are another story though, he freaks out when he sees those coming! I hope he doesn't hate me by the end of it, he's such a gentle sweet soul :(


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With some bunnies, I would rather give injections than struggle with oral meds. I recommend you get syringes with the right size needle for your bunny. Some bunnies have much thicker or tighter skin than others and a dehydrated bunny will have skin that is more difficult to tent and pierce. If the needle is too large, the hole will be larger and more likely for medication to leak, especially if the skin is not elastic.
It is sometimes hard to hold the bunny while tenting skin and injecting. In order to minimize any risk of the bunny jumping and falling, I will do the injections sitting on the floor, sofa, or bed. You may want to use a treat or favorite food to distract the bunny as you get yourself and your bunny in position.
 
My check list for tomorrow now is:
1. Needle pointed the right way up so it goes in easier
2. Draw back to check for blood in the medicine
3. Massage the area afterward
4. Make sure it hasn't come back out!!!


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Mandmcc said:
Cory is doing his bit bless him, he just sat really still and waited for me even though I had to jab him twice [emoji24] The ear drops are another story though, he freaks out when he sees those coming! I hope he doesn't hate me by the end of it, he's such a gentle sweet soul :(


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Click to expand...

I have often felt like a big bully picking on a little bunny when giving treatments for illness. In spite of my fears, my bunnies have always forgiven me. If your bunny seems distant it is more likely the illness than the treatment and once they feel better I am their best friend again.
 
bunny momma said:
With some bunnies, I would rather give injections than struggle with oral meds. I recommend you get syringes with the right size needle for your bunny. Some bunnies have much thicker or tighter skin than others and a dehydrated bunny will have skin that is more difficult to tent and pierce. If the needle is too large, the hole will be larger and more likely for medication to leak, especially if the skin is not elastic.
It is sometimes hard to hold the bunny while tenting skin and injecting. In order to minimize any risk of the bunny jumping and falling, I will do the injections sitting on the floor, sofa, or bed. You may want to use a treat or favorite food to distract the bunny as you get yourself and your bunny in position.
Click to expand...

Good advice! I have no problems tenting the skin or getting the needle in, although it does seem really long and I do worry about going too far! I've been doing it in the same spot I clip his nails so he knows there'll be no nonsense and bless him he did keep very still! Maybe that's because he knows he always gets dandelions root at the end of visits to that towel though :)


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My boy Oliver is on a course of depocillian at the moment for his ear too. This is my third bun I have had to give depocillian and I hate doing it also. You wee bunny is soo sweet. I found damping / wetting the fur prior to injecting helps you see where u r injecting. Also before injecting (when its no where near ur bun )pull the syringe back to release any clogging and then push the plunger gently again so the depocillian is back to the original marking in the syringe so no air in syringe tip. I also hold my finger half way up the needle as u push it I to the skin helps me feel how far the needle is in and gives better control. No matter how many u do its never a pleasant thing but defo worth it. Each time you do one u will get a bit more confident. X
 
Check that the needle is firmly on the syringe before you start. Depocillin is quite thick stuff and sometimes needs a bit of an extra push - the last thing you need is for the needle to part ways with the syringe as you are injecting, then panic about mopping it up before they lick it off, then worry that they haven't had the full dose.

If your bun is easy to handle, you might be able to hold the needle on and inject at the same time.
 
Shimmer said:
Check that the needle is firmly on the syringe before you start. Depocillin is quite thick stuff and sometimes needs a bit of an extra push - the last thing you need is for the needle to part ways with the syringe as you are injecting, then panic about mopping it up before they lick it off, then worry that they haven't had the full dose.

If your bun is easy to handle, you might be able to hold the needle on and inject at the same time.
Click to expand...

This is what I was trying to describe in my post. I have had them come apart in the past.
 
nickybunny1 said:
My boy Oliver is on a course of depocillian at the moment for his ear too. This is my third bun I have had to give depocillian and I hate doing it also. You wee bunny is soo sweet. I found damping / wetting the fur prior to injecting helps you see where u r injecting. Also before injecting (when its no where near ur bun )pull the syringe back to release any clogging and then push the plunger gently again so the depocillian is back to the original marking in the syringe so no air in syringe tip. I also hold my finger half way up the needle as u push it I to the skin helps me feel how far the needle is in and gives better control. No matter how many u do its never a pleasant thing but defo worth it. Each time you do one u will get a bit more confident. X
Click to expand...

Aw thanks for this, I feel a bit of solidarity now lol! What happens if you pull the syringe back to release and try to get it back to the original position but a tiny bit beads out the top? It still ok to use or will it likely cause irritation on his skin?
Also, great tip on how to hold the needle, I didn't put my finger that far down so I'll give that a go!


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Shimmer said:
Check that the needle is firmly on the syringe before you start. Depocillin is quite thick stuff and sometimes needs a bit of an extra push - the last thing you need is for the needle to part ways with the syringe as you are injecting, then panic about mopping it up before they lick it off, then worry that they haven't had the full dose.

If your bun is easy to handle, you might be able to hold the needle on and inject at the same time.
Click to expand...

I learned this one already as I knocked the needle off the first injection when the vet was trying to show me what to do!!! So now I check and double check like a crazy person!

I think I will be able to hold the needle and inject at the same time, he's quite placid for it!


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