vaccination woes

[megs22]

Just had my yearling vaccinated (2nd one) and it took three attempts first he moved back when the needle went in and vet didn't follow, second vet put it in him he went up and the needle came out bent, third time got the needle in, he rears vet drops the contact and leaves syringe hanging when returned to the ground vet lunges forward squeezes syringe he goes up and spends the next few moments on his hind feet, I don't understand why vet was taking so long to do a simple jab on asking she said she was trying to make sure she didn't have any blood in the syringe, never in thirty years have I seen a vet try to do this with a simple flu and tet vaccination, me feeling slighty annoyed sends vet off never to return. My problem is that he is a sensitive soul and needs quiet handling. I'm concerned that this bad experience is going to effect him in the future, any suggestions on the next steps forward?

 

[Dancing_Diva]

Need to find a vet who’s quick but calm. I had a fab vet at doing jabs on tricky horses, she’d walk up give them a scratch quick grab of skin on the neck needle in gently jab done all within a couple of seconds before horse even knew what was happening. Then spend time giving my pony some treats and a scratch afterwards.

There’s actually a good video going round on Facebook for this campaign atm of don’t break your vet. On how to get your horse used to having jabs done, might be worth a watch and trying the technique suggested in it? At same time of trying to find a vet who’s calm but quick in jabbing tricky horses for his next one.

 

[megs22]

I'm totally with you in regards of training them to stand up for the vet, farrier etc. and have spent many hours with training its just frustrating if the vet hadn't of messed up the first one he'd of just of stepped back then be rewarded with nuts and a good scratch. I have however been forgiven and he wanted a good scratch this evening.

 

[Spottyappy]

Start desentising. My vet suggested a ball point one as it is most often the feel of the needle going in.
My mare went ballistic for weeks doing it 2x weekly. She’s still not great, but a year on, she is much calmer than she was.

 

[cobgoblin]

My vet makes a fuss of them then taps them sharply twice on the injection site with the side of his fist. The first time it's just his fist, the second time the vaccination goes in.... None of them have ever noticed the needle.

 

[coss]

I'm dreading my horse having his next vaccination after a vet last year stuck a needle in him (testing to see if a lump was full of fluid or was hard) and didn't take the subtle warning signs from the horse that "actually remove the needle".. vet nearly got kicked and every vet visit since it's not been the needle that's the issue but the fact they smell of vet. he turns into a totally bargy brat... very hard to retrain though as he isn't bargy with me... or the farrier or anyone else that visits him. He can tell it's a vet and not some other random person. Last injection my vet looked like he was taking part in the sport of fencing, horse was piaffing and vet just stood back watching, then took a step forwards jabbed the neck and took the step back, horse stopped piaffing and stared at him as if wondering what on earth had just happened!
Sorry not really any help but I think the desensitising is the way forwards -the don't break your vet campaign is great but I do think the vets need to be in less of a rush to get the jab done in the first place as an extra 2mins of letting the horse think they're not going to get jabbed can make all the difference and actually saves 5mins of getting a new needle from the car because one got bent!

 

[SEL]

When you own a vet phobic 750kg draft you soon learn to distract them when needles are needed! I can inject him because he doesn't associate me with nasty stuff but he can sense a vet before they get out of their car.

I can highly recommend a bucket of something yummy. It keeps them distracted if the vet is fumbling for a vein and gives them something nice to remember the visit for.

 

[TheMule]

The vet does not sound in the wrong here- it's pretty crucial you get it in muscle not blood.
Help your yearling and help your vet byt putting the homework in

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

My vet makes a fuss of them then taps them sharply twice on the injection site with the side of his fist. The first time it's just his fist, the second time the vaccination goes in.... None of them have ever noticed the needle.

This is what I do whenever I need to inject - thump thump slam the needle in job done.

 

[Hallo2012]

mine does the thump thump stab manouvre too

i do think its hard if they have a bad experience as they start flinching and then you cant get the needle in so just persevere with a ball point pen and removing it as soon as he stands.

i personally dont use food as dont think it helps the learning process in this case.

im thankful mine are all really good and you can walk up to them in the field and do it without a headcollar on them!

has your vet tried doing it in the chest rather than neck? mine all deffo notice it less if done in chest, they dont even stop chewing their mouthful of grass where as in the neck there that 2 second pause like "ow"

 

[wingedhorse]

This is what I do whenever I need to inject - thump thump slam the needle in job done.

Which is fine, but does run a risk you actually hit a vein.

The official method is thump, thump, pull back and check not hit vein, inject whole amount.

Some vets / people are confident vein a low risk and do it in quick thump, thump, stab.

 

[samlf]

Use a different vet. I now have a needle shy horse because of a vet's poor technique, although she's improving every time she sees a vet it is still quite annoying that an experience years ago has caused such an issue.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Which is fine, but does run a risk you actually hit a vein.

The official method is thump, thump, pull back and check not hit vein, inject whole amount.

Some vets / people are confident vein a low risk and do it in quick thump, thump, stab.

I always do the pull back but usually once the needle is in the horse is fine so long as you don't jostle it about too much. Especially when doing pennecilin

 

[Louby]

I really didnt expect a problem when my young horse had her first jab but I explained to the vet that she had never had one before as a precaution. The vet then seemed to be more terrified than the horse and then whacked her on her bum so she exploded with the needle stuck in her bum, then she couldnt get near her and the needle came out bent. I couldnt get her rug on without a struggle for a week, fast forward to the next injection, I regained her trust, practiced thumping her bum etc and the same vet turned up, I thought oh no, explained again she had been really scared afterwards and again she struggled and it was weeks before she back to normal having a rug on, so for the 3rd one I asked for a different vet, he was fantastic, no fuss at all, horse was totally happy and no problems afterwards. I really think the first vet gave off vibes that she was nervous. She has been sedated and given intravenous pain killers at seperate visits since without an issue.

 

[Amicus]

Without wanting to cause offence maybe your youngster would benefit from a bit more preparation, nice video on teaching horses to cope with injections https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRAIdnQmzak&index=2&t=0s&list=PLZLor1KlzkI9X1UpvbOxwllS1BNoLvcmR I have a pony who when I first acquired was difficult to handle generally and esp in a vet situation, bit vet dependent so had to hope got a vet who suited him. Eventually I accepted that while it was annoying having a vet who wasn't good with him it was probably as/more annoying for the vet dealing with my nervous tit of a neddy so I dedicated some time to teaching him to have odd things round him being poked flicked etc having strangers do the same and while he's not perfect he's pretty ok. I do think sometimes we accept to low a standard for horses behavior and it doesn't necessarily help them or us.