How to give a Goat Injections
Steps of Giving an Injection
1. Always use a clean needle and syringe
2. Wipe top of medication bottle with alcohol prep
3. Use separate needle for drawing medication from bottle so as not to contaminate medication
4. Make sure injection needle is properly attached to syringe, then while holding syringe upside down needle pointing upwards.. loosely in one hand.. flick with your fingers the top of the syringe to get air bubbles up to top, then expel them by pushing plunger some until you are to pure medication.
5. Secure goat
6. Wipe injection site with alcohol prep, double check dose amount in syringe.
7. Insert injection needle into goat at what ever angle you intend on giving injection (Sub-Q or IM)
8. Draw back on plunger to make sure you are NOT in a blood vessel! (This is especially important for giving penicillin injections as Penicillin is deadly if injected into the bloodstream)If you are in the vessel ..withdraw needle and re stick the goat.
9. Slowly and firmly inject medication (if the goat moves and you think there is a possibility of breaking the needle- Let go of it and let it hang.. you do much less damage with the needle hanging there than trying to hold on and taking a chance of breaking it off in the goat!)
10. Withdraw needle and rub injection site briskly.
11. Let go of goat and apologize for giving it an owie. Give her a kiss and a cookie.
12. Watch her for at least 30 minutes.. this is why I bring mine inside if at all possible. Keep an eye on her the next few hours Just in case..
*Make sure you always use a clean needle..
*If the syringe and needle drop onto the ground.. go get another needle.
*Only re-use a needle a couple times.. if you use them more than once.. they go dull VERY quickly.. and if you Do use them more than once.. make sure you sterilize them between uses.
Tip: A sterilized short jar with a tight fitting lid, filled with a sterile sponge and alcohol nearly to the top is a good place to store used needles for future use. Stick the needle into the sponge covered with alcohol and it will be sterile and ready for use later.
*Make sure you use the correct needle for the right job.. thick medications require a bigger gauge (diameter) needle.. a baby needs a smaller needle..
*Don't mix medications.
*Know which medications sting ahead of time so you don't get upset when one starts to jump and dance around thinking you are experiencing shock.. (Ivomec, Tylan200 and Nuflor among others are notorious for stinging..)
*Write down who you gave what shot to so you do not repeat it too soon, and make sure to give follow up medications when needed.. not giving enough is almost as bad as not giving any.. follow through.
goatlady
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