How to give a subcutaneous injection

To give a sub-Q injection lift the skin between thumb and finger so that it forms a little tent....there should be two long sides pointing at the animals head, and a third (flat) side at the rump end. Think of it like a persons nose...how the bridge makes a point towards the forehead, and the bottom, where the nostrils are, are the flat part. You want to stick the needle in the flat part. Also...the bevel of the needle should always face up...so that you lead with the very tip of the needle. If you point it down often you will lead with the flat of the bevel and it will be much harder to puncture the skin.



Example of the bevel held up.


Also...when you tent the skin...if the "nose" is pointing at the rump, side, whatever it's not a big deal...just hit the flat and you'll be fine. Always draw back on the plunger after you have the needle in...if you get blood flash back into the syringe DO NOT INJECT, pull out and try again. I've never had that happen (in 11 years of working with animals) but there is always that ONE time you miss just enough...sink it in a vein...and end up killing the animal. This is more of an issue for IM injections then Sub-Q, but it's always a safe practice. If you end up puncturing through both layers of skin (so you are no longer in the skin) when you draw back on the plunger the syringe will fill with air...STOP....pull out and try again (after you bleed the air out of the syringe). Nothing worse then getting in a hurry and squirting the medicine all over the outside of the animal.

Just a note also...animals have less nerve endings in their skin then humans. So they tend to feel less pain then humans. So as long as you are using nice sharp needles the animal will more then likely experience little to no pain. Most animals react more to cold solution then they do the actual needle stick.

Nice post, Tegan.

Do you have any tips regarding an IM injection? I think the best place to inject a rabbit would likely be the back of the thigh.

I would like to add that when giving injections of different substances to an animal (such as vaccines to dogs and cats), it is a good idea to do so in multiple areas so that any allergic reactions can be noted.

In dogs and cats we did IM injections in the back of the thigh. Probably the best place for a rabbit also, but let me dig out my book real quick and check. We didn't work with a lot of rabbits, mostly dogs and cats, and I'm several years out of practice, so a bit rusty.

Ok according to the books its the back of the rear leg, and up to 1ml of solution. As like sub-q pull back on the plunger before injecting.

Tegan":3sk0wrom said:

In dogs and cats we did IM injections in the back of the thigh.

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Me too. I've never given a rabbit an injection at all though. Horses get IM injections in the neck or back of the thigh.

Sorry, 4 year old pulled me away before I could finish.

To restrain for an IM injection I found it best to wrap bunny like a burrito in a towel. Tuck the bunny burrito under your arm with the rump facing out. Then pull out the back leg you need. It's always helpful to have two people for the job though. One to hold bun, and the other to give the injection.

Thanks very much, Tegan. It's useful information, nicely presented. :goodjob:

Yes, excellent! :greatjob:

I know some will disagree with this, but I don't give IM shots. I've got a degree in animal science and I've always been taught to give all shots sub-q or IV. If you so give an IM shot on a meat animal, give it in the neck to keep from ruining any good cuts of meat. Just my opinion.

MamaSheepdog":721m8o86 said:

I think the best place to inject a rabbit would likely be the back of the thigh.

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one thing to be wary of is there is a nerve in the hind leg of a rabbit, and you REALLY don't want to hit that with the needle.
picture below is a rat, but you can see where the nerve is and its almost exactly the same in rabbits. so aim for upper thigh to avoid hitting that nerve, as its closer to the skin farther towards the hock joint.
p.s. sorry to resurrect a dead post :zombiebun: just thought the nerve was worth noting.

Sterling, this is a "Sticky" so it is intended to be "resurrected"!

That is great information.

The injection site I was recommending corresponds to the line pointing to the thigh, so it is a good visual for that too, if there was any confusion!

MamaSheepdog":3oz7311n said:

The injection site I was recommending corresponds to the line pointing to the thigh, so it is a good visual for that too, if there was any confusion!

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good point!

Hm, I just lift and stick. Never bother with exactly where or how the needle is facing.
I had chickens flinch if the needle was too thick, so I think making sure the needle is as thin as possible also helps with any animal that likes to over react. And use a short needle, that way there is less fear of stabbing something other than empty space.

Gawd, is that always true to not inject when blood is drawn? What about humans? I had a shot once and the lady drew blood, but didn't care and injected anyway. I was so pissed, but was a kid, so no one cared what I was saying...

ChickiesnBunnies":6evdcgxw said:

is that always true to not inject when blood is drawn?

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It is a good practice. Some drugs are meant to be slowly absorbed by the tissues, but the main reason is so you don't inject an air bubble into the vein. When blood is exposed to air, it begins to clot, which is not a good thing to have happen in a vein. The air bubble can also become "trapped" in the vein, blocking blood flow, which causes tissue die off. If the bubble lodges in the brain or heart, it is not a pretty outcome. Usually a small bubble will cause no noticeable damage, but it is a risk that most practitioners don't want to take.

These might seem like stupid questions, but I really have no idea what this sticky is about.
When do you have to do sub-Q injections? What makes it "sub-Q"?

WildWolf":1v8vu33y said:

When do you have to do sub-Q injections? What makes it "sub-Q"?

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questions are good. we love questions
sub-q stands for sub-cutaneous (sub-dermal, or in more layman terms, under the skin, but NOT in the muscle). when we give sub-q injections, were aiming for the lose connective tissue underneath the skin but above the muscle, where their are lots of tiny blood vessels to quickly absorb medication. many medications can be given sub-q, including penicillin. but some medications should never be given sub-q, so its definitely best to check with an experienced breeder or a good vet first.

Thanks!! So, when do you know to use sub-q? How do you get the medicine and the needle?

WildWolf":1snpiegp said:

So, when do you know to use sub-q? How do you get the medicine and the needle?

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you should only give a sub-q injection if you know the medication should be administered that way. and where you get the medicine depends on the medicine itself. some stuff, like penicillin, can be bought at your local farm store. others can only be prescribed by a vet. needles and syringes can also be bought at your local farm store (think Tractor Supply).

Thanks, that clears things up a bit.

Are you allowed to do this without any education or license?

I have a license and I'm still only allowed to do it if I'm ordered by a licened vet..

Zab":1j3qch6z said:

Are you allowed to do this without any education or license?

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Yes, we can give vaccines to our animals with the exception of Rabies, which must be administered by a licensed vet. We can also purchase injectable antibiotics to treat our own animals.

You can administer medical treatment to your own animals, and even those owned by others as long as you do not charge for the service, which would be considered "practicing medicine without a license".