First Solo rufus injection

[angelicvampyre]

Well I was all set.  Simple so simple the vet said.  I give him his injection and then next thing I know BLOOD everywhere!  i am trying not to lose my head and my friend who is a vet thank god was so calm and collected and everything was fine.  Rufus had no clue what all the fuss was about but now I am freaking out about having to give the one next week.  God this is stressful!

[Sarita]

What type of injections are you giving?

[angelicvampyre]

His weekly penicillian he gets .35mls once a week for the rest of his life but as the stuff is thick I have to use a bigger needle then I originally thought and his skin is as THICK! I would have a freaked out horse a needle any day compared to this!

[Sarita]

Yeah, the pen-g can be hard to administer. I had to do some pen-g shots on Pepe last week and in the past I’ve always filled them myself from the pen-g bottle but my vet gave me prefilled this time and I found that much harder to use. I really had to push down on the syringe and I could see him flinch.

I think it was easier for me when I filled the syringe as I needed. The bottle of pen-g is pretty cheap too so it seems more economical if you can do it that way rather than have the syringes prefilled.

[angelicvampyre]

I have the bottle and a box of syringes so i do fill them I just feel that the needle is very thick. I have given injections to other animals namely an diabetic god and the needle points are so fine that and just slide in, these ones you have to push in and it sucks!

[Sarita]

It wouldn’t hurt to try a thinner needle – I have to look at home at the needle size for my syringes. I think when I filled them myself I did use a smaller size and it worked fine as long as you don’t let it settle.

It seems like the pen-g is a powder and liquid mixture which is why you have to shake the thing so darn much!

[Andi]

Nasty stuff, and on top of it rabbit skin is tough. I find it much harder (scarier perhaps?) to use injections on smaller rabbits who’s skin feels thick, but still needs that little push to get through.
Just take your time, and soon enough you will be a pro with injections
 

(I’ve once used my Dogs insulin needles to give my rabbits their injections b/c of the smaller guage needle, so that’s always an option).

[RabbitPam]

Sarita,
Is it possible to fill two syringes with much thinner needles with the needed amount and then give two, smaller injections? would that help?

[angelicvampyre]

My sister is a diabetic and I stole one of her needles which are very thin and tried to draw back the penicillian into that did not work, was really hard to draw back and even harder to push out. I am thinking this is not an option which sucks. I am sure I will get better at this and was so glad that my friend who is a vet was there so that when it went wrong she was really calm and showed me what to do so I will not panic if it happens again. She told me that in all her time injecting rabbits (and she does see alot of them) that this has only happened once before so hopefully it was just a fluke.

[MimzMum]

I hate Pen-G. Literally hate it. I had nothing but trouble administering it to Mimzy (well, my hubby was the injector since I despise needles) the last time he needed it, it just won’t go into that fold on his shoulders anymore and it spurts everywhere, then he needs a bath and God only knows if any gets in.
I was also told to use thinner needles. The meds are thick, but I know it’s possible to get them in despite the needle size, we’ve seen it done.
Poor AV (((((((((((pats shoulders)))))))))))))))))) Hang in there kiddo. Vibes for Rufus too! (((((((((((((((healing & easier injection vibes)))))))))))))))

[KatnipCrzy]

insulin syrnges won’t work with PenG- it is too thick.  And I think it would actually be better to give an injection all at once then to give 2 injections with smaller needles.  Are you changing the needle after you draw up the PenG?? Even going thru the rubber top of the vial just once can dull the needle.  And then when you inject you slide the needle in with the bevel facing up, towards you.

[angelicvampyre]

Thanks guy I did all of that but must have nicked a vein but rufus has made a full recovery and we even went for a walk today and got strange looks from everyone. I hate harnesses but he has been using one daily for 5 years and really not happy about not getting his walks so finally took him for one and well he seem to love it!

[MimzMum]

Oh my! What I wouldn’t give to be able to ‘walk’ my bunnies like I do my dog! ^_^
You should get pix of that AV…how cute!

[angelicvampyre]

Next time we do I will take some pictures, we are going to a rescuse shelter this weekend so will try and get lots then

[BinkyBunny]

A vet tech once told me that the skin on the back of a rabbit’s neck does not have as many nerve endings( maybe nature’s cruel yet kind tricks for prey animals?) and so he said that it normally is “more painful for the humans giving the injections than it is for the rabbit receiving the injection”.

When we had to give Rucy Pen-g I remember it being very tricky because the needle is bigger and the liquid is so thick, but thank goodness Steve got the hang of it. He is now an expert at injections in general because we had to give so many to Rucy. Which is good because Jack gets injections with Sub-q fluids twice a week and most likely will for the rest of his life. (much smaller needle and easy liquid though!) I have to embarrassingly admit, I am a WIMP at this! I recently downed a whole glass of wine to try and get up the courage, but I still chickened out. I am determined though to do it as I feel I should be able to do this.   And my husband assures me it gets easier in time as you get used to how it feels and what works. So I bet you will be fine at it with practice.

[angelicvampyre]

Second injection when like clock work, third was tricky. I think that we had been to the vet and he was a little stressed and just wanted to not having to deal with anyone and I hesitated and all hell broke loose! This week I have to go to the vet anyway so going to take the injection with me and do it there that way no stress when we get home.

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