Injecting Your Horse

One of the most common things a vet will do is prescribe a course of antibiotics for a sick horse. Sometimes these can take the form of a powder to be given in feed, but more often intramuscular injections are indicated. This is especially the case with Procaine Penicillin, the most common form of penicillin given to horses. When injecting into the muscle, there are a few factors to be aware of;

1. Where to give the injection. This is usually into the neck muscle, in a spot about halfway down and around a handspan in front of the shoulderblade (Fig 1). Another spot to inject is into the rump, usually around 10-15cm back from the point of the hip (Fig 2), or alternatively into the chest muscle (Fig. 3).

 

2. How to insert the needle – the best way is to detach the needle from the syringe, holding it at the hub (the bit that locks into the syringe) between thumb and forefinger. Tap the horse several times with the bottom of the hand, then drive the needle firmly into the muscle. Alternatively, grab a small fold of skin (best on the neck) and push the needle in firmly beside the skin fold.

3. Once the needle is in the horse, apply the syringe and inject the medication. If you are giving Penicillin, always draw back on the syringe to ensure no blood enters the hub of the needle. You should do this several times whilst injecting, especially if the horse has had multiple needles in the same area. If blood is encountered, withdraw the needle and re-commence the injection elsewhere.

4. Always make sure the medication is properly shaken, and stored and used as directed. If you ever have concerns about any aspect of the procedure, ring your vet for advice.