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 Giving an Intramuscular Shot
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Jan 28 2015 :  4:59:51 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My vet, Dr. Shelly O'Connell was out again today to give Fanci a shot of Lutalyse in our attempt to get her to go into heat. She's a new old cow for me, 10 years old, and has only gone into heat once since I brought her home. Even though she was with my bull, Samson, she didn't get pregnant. (Just not sure of her history.)

I took a quick video of Shelley giving a shot because I think the method she uses for an intramuscular shot is so cool.



She stands on the side opposite where she's going to give the shot, just in case there's a kick. She cleans the area with alcohol, removes the needle from the syringe (holding the syringe upside down in the other hand) and starts tapping her fist on the cow to get her used to the fact that something is happening back there and then on the third or fourth tap she "hits" the needle in.

You'd know right then if you've hit a vein because you'd start seeing blood and would know to start over in another spot. There is a vein back there but you'll miss it if you stay closer to the hip bone.

If everything still looks good, and once the cow stops moving around from the shock of the needle, she attaches the syringe to the needle again and inserts the liquid.

The usual way it's done results in me trying to hang onto the syringe as the cow reacts and moves, resulting in a needle moving around inside her muscle, resulting in an even stronger reaction from the cow (and then the syringe falls out or I poke myself ... you know the drill).

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~

NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Jan 28 2015 :  5:54:48 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Well that was pretty cool. I've seen my vet tap them a few times before and injection but I haven't seen this technique before. Looks like once the needle is in they settle down a bit and the you may proceed. Thanks for sharing this. Doable.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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Mike

1667 Posts
Mike
Argyle WI
United States of America

Posted - Jan 28 2015 :  6:48:48 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Neat technique! Been to the rodeo, this looks a lot less exciting.
Thank you and Dr. O'Connell.
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Jan 28 2015 :  6:49:02 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Awesome. Pictures are worth more than words. Thank you.

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jan 28 2015 :  9:47:11 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the video...definitely looks doable with less stress on everyone and no spilled medication with a built-in check for veins, too.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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