Needle-shy

[evsj]

Anyone got any ideas as to how I can get my horse to be less needle-shy?

Fortunately (fingers-crossed, touch wood etc) she has only needed injections for her annual boosters, so far. It is always a bit traumatic though and I always warn the vet beforehand. Trouble is she's become a bit sensitive about her neck being touched cos she thinks someone's going to whack a jab in. My poor farrier always tries to pat her on the neck when he visits but she gets really anti when he does.

It's quite difficult getting her still enough to get the needle in - she barges forward or reverses at high speed and does mini rears - at 16.1 she's quite alot for me to hang onto!

Booster is not due til July but was wondering if there were any methods for desensitising her?

Other than that she's an angel!

 

[S_N]

God if anyone can help, PLEASE do, as I have the same problem with B! I really do worry about what would happen if she ever needed life saving injections................ She reacts violently even lip chained - ask MFH_09!!!

 

[mandy4727]

Lately my vet has done my fillies injection in her bum!!! Just had her third one and I warned the vet she may get wise to it now. She never even bothered. Vet stood well to the side just in case. Slapped her bum a few times (on the top of rump) and in the needle went. Don't think Calli even noticed. All my horses have been the same. Can do them without a headcollar on. But do just in case!!! Sorry can't offer any suggestions other then when people have a vet there see if you can get them to stroke her and pet her without haveing anything done so that she doesn't associate the vet with pain/needles or anything unpleasant etc etc. If that makes sense.

 

[Bossanova]

Only way we can do our broodmare is to load her up in the lorry and have the vet do it over the partition- she cant hurt anyone, knows she cant move and so stands reasonably well.
Worth a try!!

 

[Skhosu]

sounds exactly like mine! I have found a good vet who just hangs on and does it.
I have an empty syringe and have trained him (by reward) to allow it by his neck, touch him, pinch him. It can be slow progress but if she's happy with the needle being there it's a step forward (mine used to go quivery at the sight!)
You need to see if you can find a quick vet, that's the best way as at the end of the day as far as I can see they just don't like it!
Also, would not do it in the lorry, mine ended up rearing, getting his foot stuck, getting badly stuck and rolling over down the ramp and was lucky to emerge with just scrapes, I would never do it like that again.
Is she distracted by food? With my lad I just have to hang on and let the vet do it, he also grips, hangs on and once they have settled with the grip puts the needle in and it tends to be less of a shock..
There is hope, mine was mirochipped recently which is pretty painful!

 

[Happy Bird]

My mare is exactly the same. My vet has described her as needle-phobic. I personally would not use the horsebox method, but if it works for you..... I have just resigned myself to being dragged around her stable once a year for jabs !

It is not unheard of to use some Sedalin paste prior to the vet's visit !

 

[evsj]

Thank you for your replies! I never thought to ask if vet could stick needle in her bum. Reminded me that when I first bought her in Ireland I started off her vaccinations from scratch and my vet said he just went in didn't tie her and stuck the thing in her backside. He told me she din't really bat an eyelid - just had a suprised expression on her face. Ever since every other vet has done it in her neck.

Will try an get hold of a dummy syringe too. Try to distract her with carrots but she grabs the carrots and then carries on trying to squash me!

Fingers crossed its only a one a year thing, eh?!

 

[_daisy_]

if anyone had any great ideas I would like to hear them too as i have exactly the same problems with Ebi. She rears, kicks, throw her weight around and is dangerous. She cant be done in a trailer or wagon because of this. If she has it in her neck she rears. If she has it in her chest she rears. If she has it in her bum she kicks.
Its been very difficult with her as she had to have 2 full courses of adequan in 2005- 1 injection every 4 days. in the end I had to get her head in a scoop of highly molassed feed with her neck bent towards me whilst I did the injection. I also had to have her in a chifney.
I also have a very good vet who spent lots of time with her before and after giving her her vaccinations/sedation who would make a fuss of her and feed her. It has helped but I think its helped with my 2 vets being very quick at getting them in and done.
Thank god I dont need to clip her any longer as nows shes retired - she needs to be completely knocked out with elephant dose to get her quiet enough to clip!

 

[Loupride]

P used to be REALLY bad with injections, getting the needle wasn't the real problem, once it was in he would just bardge forward and backwards and generally just throw himself around the stable until it was out! (Picture Large RID throwing himself around stable) When it came to getting his next jabs the vet was going to ride him and inject him when he didnt expect it. Unfortunately/fortunately he had a subsequent accident and need twice daily injections. At first he was too sore to protest and then he just got used to them. Now I can inject him on my own. At first I used to twitch him for a couple of seconds but he seems to have just gotten used to it.

Not much help I suppose as I dont advise you practice

but it does just show that some horse can get used to the situation?

 

[evsj]

Poor you E_C_W! Ebi sounds a bit worse than mine!

 

[_daisy_]

i dread the yearly vaccination. I know which vet to book which is very useful and he knows how bad she is. She was even a cow when she needed injections just after foaling last June - tluckily she only reared and was no where near her foal who was about 2hrs old - its nice that her foal hasnt learnt to be the same - she just stands like an angel

Shes awful but ive just learnt to live with her now. like I said thank god I dont have to clip her anymore - i used to only clip her twice in the winter because of how bad she was to a)clip and b)inject.

 

[SusieJane]

Moodimare ~ i've got a few syringes (and needles) at home, I'll sort you one out, and you can have a practise.

to be fair, i prefer my horses done in the rump, as its less traumatic/painful

 

[hussar]

My youngster used to be dreadfully needle-shy until my vet came up with a brilliant gadget - a metre-long 'driver': a flexible tube connecting syringe and needle so she just sticks the needle in his chest and even if he jumps back she can still press the plunger because the syringe isn't actually in his neck. The whole thing takes a split second and the last time he didn't even lift his head from his feed.

 

[miss_bird]

my mare used to be the same as son as the vet started to fill up the syringe she started to play up, even with a twitch she lifted me off the floor.
when she had a small injury last time the vet gave me some penicillian, some needles an syringes and i done it myself, my horse was as good as gold and just stood there no hassle at all.
if you have a close realtionship with your horse maybe try injecting her yourself as she trusts you that nothing bad will happen to her.

 

[evsj]

[ QUOTE ]
Moodimare ~ i've got a few syringes (and needles) at home, I'll sort you one out, and you can have a practise.

to be fair, i prefer my horses done in the rump, as its less traumatic/painful

[/ QUOTE ]

Marvellous, Weigh-Hay! I'll see you tomorrow. And seeing as we have the same vet I shall request a bottom-jab next time! (For the horse, obviously!)

 

[Thistle]

Blow pipe or dart gun??????????????????????

 

[Skhosu]

glad to hear I'm not the only one. WE tried it in the rump, he hated that!
I think you just have to resign yourself to being dragged round the stable once a year!

 

[Happy Horse]

[ QUOTE ]
My youngster used to be dreadfully needle-shy until my vet came up with a brilliant gadget - a metre-long 'driver': a flexible tube connecting syringe and needle so she just sticks the needle in his chest and even if he jumps back she can still press the plunger because the syringe isn't actually in his neck. The whole thing takes a split second and the last time he didn't even lift his head from his feed.



[/ QUOTE ]

This confuses me slightly as the yearly vaccines are tiny and if they are having to go along a meter long tube either the jab will remain in the tube or it would have to be flushed through with something which I can't imagine would go down too well.

 

[kibob]

One of my mares is needle-shy, it's a nightmare isn't it. In fact I would go as far as to say she is vet-shy. Two years ago she degloved a hind leg, she was awful even when it came to just changing the bandage and cleaning the wound and had to be sedated every time. It got really bad, she would change from the dopey dobbin I know and love into a wild mustang the minute a vet came onto the yard. We tried everything let me tell you ... she has been blasted with aromotherapy, homeopathy, bach remedies, massage, food bribes, she's been whispered to ( and yelled at!!) and it never really got any better, we just learnt to hang on tight and be thrown around the stable rag-doll style

... uhm, not looking forward to her booster this year, don't think my vet will offer to sit on her while he does it

 

[hussar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My youngster used to be dreadfully needle-shy until my vet came up with a brilliant gadget - a metre-long 'driver': a flexible tube connecting syringe and needle so she just sticks the needle in his chest and even if he jumps back she can still press the plunger because the syringe isn't actually in his neck. The whole thing takes a split second and the last time he didn't even lift his head from his feed.



[/ QUOTE ]

This confuses me slightly as the yearly vaccines are tiny and if they are having to go along a meter long tube either the jab will remain in the tube or it would have to be flushed through with something which I can't imagine would go down too well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Before the needle goes in, the fluid is already pumped down the driver so it just needs one more press on the syringe.

 

[henryhorn]

We find injecting them stood in a trailer or box works best.
We had to inject an enormous 17hh heavyweight mare and the female vet and me (she is 6' and very tough) decided to do her in the field the first time. Big mistake. We loosely wrapped the long lead rope round the gate and I held the other end, vet stuck needle end in, the mare leapt skywards, and took off with the entire five barred gate chasing her. As the leadrope was only wrapped it fell off within yards but we learned our lesson. When a previous owner says inject her in a lorry, do as you're told!!!
No other real solution I'm afraid, studs have stocks which are the safest places to inject, we have a metal gate we hinge flat against a wall that locks into a sort of stock, and we now use that for awkward horses..

 

[evsj]

[ QUOTE ]
Blow pipe or dart gun??????????????????????

[/ QUOTE ]

Good thinking!!