Injecting Horse

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BeckyCandy

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My horse has just been castrated but had abdominal surgery as he only had one testicle that had dropped. I have to inject him with Penicillin every morning. He is very needle shy since having the surgery he was fine with jabs before this. He is 3 years old and i've done a lot of ground work with him that is quickly unravling I ended up calling the vet out to inject him yesterday who struggled and mangaed to inject him after 4 attepmts. What can Id o to make this easier for him and me he is terrified runing away and doesnt want you to touch him now apart from hes head. Any adive would be really appreciated. :)
 
Are you just injecting in his neck?

I used to inject mine in the rump as he couldn't see it coming so much, just a good rub and quick pat on the rump them needle in. Used to swap sides etc so he didn't get too sore.
 
I ended up having to twitch my horse when she became impossible to inject. It worked really well and enabled me to finish her course of jabs without further stress.
 
Tried the bum this morning he was much calmer 5mls went in and he cow kicked out and almost got my mum. Both of us are confident with what we are doing and him. We also get penicilin out early so it snt so cold or thick. Have tried covering eyes, distracting with carrots and twitch. It's becoming very stressful for us and him and we have no option but to give him this because he has had abdominal surgery. I am worried he has lost all trust in us and I haven't yet backed him. I do not want to have a horse scared fo the vet or refusing to come in to be caught. I tried brushing him earlier and he was just working himself up more and more even with me talking to him and brushing gentle he kept spinning away and running backwards :(
 
Remember its not just injections, he is probibily a bit nervy as he will also be sore, as you said he had abdominal surgery.

Get this course of Penicillin out of the way, then give him some time then start your groundwork again. Go back to basics and he will settle soon enough :)

I agree with definately twitching him, and making sure he is nice and dopey and you are stood a safe disance away from his bum so that you and your mum don't get injured.
 
If he tolerates the twitch id go for that, if he will let you, use his pectoral muscles on his chest, if not safe to do that,use his glutes, as he's cow kicked before when youve done this, put a bale of shavings upright in front of you, then if he kicks he connect with the bale and not you
 
Inject the rump and alternate sides. If your not confident doing it then get your vet to give you a quick lesson. If you keep failing getting the needle in the horse will understandably get more difficult to treat. Maybe ask your yard owner or someone else experianced to do it.
 
Poor boy! From a childhood memory of receiving penicillin injections into my leg muscle for two weeks - they hurt like hell! Not the prick of the needle but the actual penicillin itself.

Choose a different spot each day, making sure there is plenty of muscle to jab into.
 
Thank you for the replies. I feel awful- I went over tongiht and gave him he's dinner and painkillers and hes ruined he was so sweet and loving and is now petrified. We get the needle in first time and he doesnt mind its the penicilin the minute we start to push it in he goes mad. He wont let you touch him anywhere at the moment. So I braught him in and let him eat alone as I do not want him to be upset when it comes to hes dinner. I then stood for ages stoking him both sides of he's neck and giving him treats. Going to drive down to vets tomorrow and have a good chat with them and ask them to give me powder. I just don't want him to be a nervous horse as he has always been bold and very friendly with a lovely character.
 
I would second the powders, and question your vet on why they allowed you to inject the pony yourself - it's against the law....
 
Def get some norodine or such like. I haven't injected a horse with antibiotics for about 20 years I'm surprised vets still give them to the general public.
 
amymay said:
I would second the powders, and question your vet on why they allowed you to inject the pony yourself - it's against the law....
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It's legal to inject your own animals - if you do someone a favour and inject their's you are on very dodgy grounds.
 
I know it's really tempting to get it over and done with as soon as possible, but if you inject really slowly its a lot more comfortable for the horse, if you inject fast it goes in with pressure and hurts like mad! XX
 
Definitely ask if you can try giving it to him in powder form, it's obviously making him worried and they don't forget that 'pain'..

Also Amymay, it is not illegal to inject your own animals as cbmcts said.. A friend of mine had to do her horse too after a rather serious injury! :)
 
cbmcts said:
It's legal to inject your own animals - if you do someone a favour and inject their's you are on very dodgy grounds.
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No it's not illegal to inject your horse. it is Illegal to inject into a vein but not into a muscle.
I recommend holding the needle in your fist and sort of punching your horse (not to hard) 3 times in his rump, the 4th time expose the needle and in it goes, the first 3 hits makes him think he's getting a good banging and strapping which also serves to make him sort of use to the needle thats incoming.
 
I have huge sympathy for you I know just how you feel, our 3 yr old tb is terrible to inject, but like alot of tb's she very accident prone.
She cut her leg and got cellulitis as her most recent accident, we and the vets have always had trouble injecting her.
But norodine powder wasnt working after quite alot of perserverance so we had no option but to complete a course of injections with her. It became a military operation.

My sister had front end, headcollar and lungeline, out of stable in the yard, I had the back end and the needle, thump, in it is goes first time no warning she's to clever for that.
I run sideways, horse runs forward bronching til she thinks its ok.
My sister had to twitch her by hand on her neck by twisting her skin (I know this sounds awful but mouth twitch didnt work by hand or with a rope twitch).
I then checked the site to make sure no blood and connected and injected. She was still swishing her tail and stomping but didnt attack me this way by kicking. All in and done.

We tried doing this in the stable but she would barge me pin me againt the wall and threaten to kick, she obviously felt lees threatened out in the yard, maybe the thought she wasnt trapped?

Anyway we managed a full course for the first time this way - before this we'd never managed it and she is down in the vets records as not injectable! They were amazed.

Good luck hope you can find a way to do it x
 
It's not illegal to inject into muscles :) I have tried all sorts now, next option is stable as have been doing it outside (he lives out) we will tried just putting it straight in unfortunately this drew bloody whch is a pain as he is a one chance boy with the needles now :( I am going to the vets tomorrow I really wish he would accept the injection as this is the best thing for him after surgery- my oother horse injured he's leg and ended up on granules for 2 weeks and the legs got very infected. It's such a hard task and when the et came out he was so difficult to handle he bent the needle :S We try and take it as steady as possible but he's just to difficult. Hopefully stable and twitch tomorrow works. Atleast with the stable he won't go in expecting an injection.
 
If youve managed the first 3 days worth of injections youve done great, the vet will be happy to switch you to powders, especially if the horse is starting to get a bit gnarly, you dont want to end up with the meds in you because theres been so much carry on to get the contents of the syrynge into the horse. I do injections on any of mine if they need them, but penicillin is a sore jab and it was a course of this that left mine needle phobic
 
You shouldn't be injecting penicilin in to the vein, so we are not doing that which is what has been discussed he has had it in he's neck and rump. I will try today and then have a chat with the vets
 
Managed to inject him. Got him in the stable blind folded him patted him hard both sides. It appears he was taking the mic along with being worried so we dealt with him how we would if he messed around in hand and he stood still inject went he no problem and the stress level was zero for him and everyone. He is still chilled and allowed me to groom without a problem :)
 
Really glad you've found a solution that works OP. I couldn't offer any advice as have never had one that's been difficult to inject. Obviously mine are all stoopid as they've always let me jab them in the chest/bum without much fuss!
 
Thank you. They have both been fine for tetnus and flu jabs, but penicilin is very thick and painful to inject. He is generally a bit of a knobber and lets you do anything to him. But he has just tomorrow and then he is all done and back to being just pampered :) It's alot easier having him in and walking him out twice a day as easier to keep an eye on him and he has us in and out of stable picking up poo and giving hiim hay etc :)
 
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