EquestrianHow2 » equine health http://equestrianhow2.com Operating Instructions for Your Horse Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:19:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 How to Give your Horse an IM Shot http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/04/how-to-give-your-horse-an-im-shot/ http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/04/how-to-give-your-horse-an-im-shot/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:35:45 +0000 admin http://equestrianhow2.com/?p=63 Everyone should know how to give an intra-muscular shot to their horse because there are times when it’s impractical (let alone too expensive) to have your vet come to your barn to come and give a series of injections for something such as a course of antibiotics.

Instructions

Giving an IM shot is relatively simple:

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Everyone should know how to give an intra-muscular shot to their horse because there are times when it’s impractical (let alone too expensive) to have your vet come to your barn to come and give a series of injections for something such as a course of antibiotics.

Instructions

Giving an IM shot is relatively simple:

  • Clean the area with alcohol (some sites say this isn’t necessary, but I don’t think it can hurt)
  • Insert the needle deep into the muscle
  • Attach the syringe
  • Aspirate (pull back on the plunger to make sure you are in the muscle, not in a vein). Some medications can be harmful if incorrectly injected.
  • Inject the medication slowly.
  • Watch your horse for an adverse reaction.
  • Dispose of the used needle and syringe properly.

Need something visual? Here’s an  illustrated guide and  another good resource.

ar area of the neck is one of the easiest places to give an IM injection.

This triangular area of the neck is one of the easiest places to give an IM injection.

The neck is the most common place to give shots. Use the area designated by the triangle.

Tips & Warnings

  • If you need to give a series of IM shots consider rotating the injection sites. Giving all the sites in the neck, for example, can make your horse sore. Instead of just alternating sides, consider using the buttocks or pectoral muscles too.

While adverse reactions are infrequent, there are some risks to performing IM injections. These include:

  • Dependent Oedema – a mild, cool swelling that can occur after IM injection into the chest muscles. It normally will resolve itself over time, but if the swollen area is warm, the horse seems to be in pain or is lethargic, it’s a good idea to call your vet.
  • Abscesses and Bacterial Infections are associated with certain medications. The most common one is flunixin meglumine (Finadyne®). One of the most serious side effects of an intramuscular injection of this drug can be a bacterial infection involving Clostridium spp. This is a severe infection that requires veterinary care. Banamine is also associated with bad reactions when delivered through IM injection, and it is recommended that you do not inject it.
  • Procaine Reaction – occurs as a reaction to procaine penicillin when the procaine gains access to the circulatory system and causes intense constriction of the blood vessels in the brain. It is very important that when you give this medication that it is not injected into a vein. If this reaction occurs, it manifests itself in ways that vary from muscle twitching to kicking, pawing, seizures, and even sudden death.

]]> http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/04/how-to-give-your-horse-an-im-shot/feed/ 0 How to apply standing wraps. http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/01/how-to-apply-standing-wraps/ http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/01/how-to-apply-standing-wraps/#comments Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:50:09 +0000 admin http://equestrianhow2.com/?p=55 There are many times when you will want to apply standing wraps on your horse — they are useful for shipping, for supporting a leg after an injury (compression can help reduce swelling) or for protecting a leg that has a wound. However, it’s very important to learn proper techniques for wrapping a horse.

Wrapping [...]]]>

Applying standing wraps takes practice to get it right.

Applying standing wraps takes practice to get it right.

There are many times when you will want to apply standing wraps on your horse — they are useful for shipping, for supporting a leg after an injury (compression can help reduce swelling) or for protecting a leg that has a wound. However, it’s very important to learn proper techniques for wrapping a horse.

Wrapping correctly takes some practice. If you wrap too tightly, you can create pressure points that can be harmful. It’s even possible to damage a tendon and /or tendon sheath with a bandage if there is a thin area of constriction under the bandage. If you wrap too loosely, the bandage will not provide support, and it can slip down on your horse’s leg and may even unravel.

  • Start with clean, dry legs and bandages.
  • If there is a wound, make sure it has been properly cleaned, rinsed and dressed according to your veterinarian’s recommendations.
  • Use a thickness of an inch or more of soft, clean padding to protect the leg beneath the bandage.
  • Apply padding so it lies flat and wrinkle-free against the skin.
  • Start the wrap at the inside of the cannon bone above the fetlock joint. Do not begin or end over a joint as movement will tend to loosen the bandage and cause it to come unwrapped.
  • Wrap the leg from front to back, outside to inside (counterclockwise in left legs, clockwise in right legs).
  • Wrap in a spiral pattern, working down the leg and up again, overlapping the preceding layer by 50 percent.
  • Use smooth, uniform pressure on the support bandage to compress the padding. Make sure no lumps or ridges form beneath the bandage.
  • Be careful not to wrap the legs too tightly, creating pressure points.
  • Avoid applying bandages too loosely. If loose bandages slip, they will not provide proper support and may endanger the horse.
  • When used for protection, leg padding and bandages should extend below the coronet band of the hoof to protect the area (especially important when trailering).
  • Extend the bandages to within one half inch of the padding at the top and bottom.

Tips & Warnings

  • Don’t use polo wraps instead of standing wraps. Polos are made from a stretchy material and it is easy to over tighten them and/or cause pressure points.
  • Practice, practice and practice some more. Wrapping a horse isn’t difficult but it can take you some time before you can get even tension and a properly applied wrap.
  • Ask an experienced equestrian (your trainer, vet, etc.) to check your first attempts and evaluate them. You do NOT want to cause a new problem while trying to help your horse.

If you are someone who learns better by watching, here’s a very good video that demonstrates bandaging techniques. Event better, you can download this video onto your Iphone or Ipod Touch so that you can bring it to the barn to watch it!

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