If you have two people, it is much easier. Below is pasted from a past topic for how I did solo shots with a smaller rabbit. If you have another person, I would recommend that person sit in front of you, holding the rabbit’s front steady and potentially covering its eyes.

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My rabbit (Wick) recently began Penicillin shots (started with Bactrim syringe-feed, now currently on penicillin injection and baytril syringe-feed). I’m a trained phlebotomist, so I draw blood on humans. I hope I can provide some helpful tips, because honestly I can say the penicillin injections are more difficult than human draws. Rabbits and different than humans, so my method for sticking Wick may not work for every rabbit, or be ideal for every rabbit.

Wick is a runt Netherland dwarf, also at 3 months, so he is very small. I use my left-hand (dominant) for the needle, and right-hand to grasp the ideal “skin tent”. I recommend not having the needle in your hand until you establish a good stick location. To identify the location, with my right-hand (non-dominant), I place 2 middle fingers at the under belly and my thumb near his spine. I pull my middle fingers up towards my thumb, while pressing my thumb towards the middle fingers a bit as well. When I pull up with this motion (like a pinch & pull), I get a small skin tent. With Wick being skinny, my fingers are usually always pulling fur, which consequently pulls up his skin (it doesn’t seem to hurt him though; very small pull). Rabbits are furry, so their skin is difficult to see (are you sticking skin or fur?). I brush the fur in the opposite direction at the potential sticking site so I can see where the skin begins. I also use a finger to poke at the tent I’ve pulled up. Wick’s stick sites are usually a bit closer to his spine than the ground, but it definitely hovers the half-way point.

Once I have the tent established and I have a good idea of where the skin actually is, I stick the needle through the tent’s entrance (not at the ground of the tent or at the very top, but right in the center of the tent’s entrance). My vet specifically stated to stick parallel to the muscle, meaning my needle is usually parallel to the floor. Large angles of entry (sticking perpendicular or at any angle) is only required if you’re trying to target something deep in the skin. Since the shot is as superficial as it can be, the angle of entry should be as close to 0degrees, as compared to the muscle, as possible. It makes it a bit less nerve-wracking, because if I know I’m 1) parallel to the back muscles and 2) sticking above the back muscles, there’s no way my needle will collide.

This is where I’m not sure the anatomy of rabbit skin vs. human skin, but with humans, the longer you linger on the top layers of the skin, the longer it hurts and more likely to bruise/sore. Once I’m ready to stick, press the needle in— once you know it’s in, don’t hesitate and push the plunger to expel the penicillin. Again, only the skin needs to be penetrated, so I don’t need to stick too far. Once I’m done, I withdraw the needle (same angle as I entered; angle of entry/exit should match), have one finger ready to push down slightly on where the needle exits, and while I’m putting the needle down somewhere safe, I use my non-dominant hand to gently massage/rub the area around the injection.

I hope this helps you!

Wick gave some great tips!

I would recommend putting him on a table if you aren’t already. If you have an assistant, have one person put their hand over the bun’s eyes and head (eyes covered, nose exposed), and other behind the bum so they can’t back up. Usually that is enough to get buns to sit still.