# How to give a goat an injection?



## Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick (Jul 2, 2010)

I have 4 kinder goats, they have shipping fever and the vet told me over the phone to give them 2cc each of penn-G twice a day.  
Problem is I have never given an injection before.  The medicine says I need to give it to them IM.  
I watched a you-tube on how to do it, but I am having a hard time with the muscle thing, I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.  
Does someone have a step by step way to do this.  I would like to give it up by the front instead of on the rump.  
Any help would be appreciated.  
Thank you


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## cmjust0 (Jul 2, 2010)

The dosage for PenG is 1ml/15lbs of bodyweight, SQ, 2x/day for 7-10 days through an 18ga needle.  A 20ga needle will work alright if you wuss out on an 18ga (which you will once you see it...practically a stovepipe.   ).  

There's no need to give it IM...SQ works just fine.

The best site for SQ injections is over the ribs, just behind the front elbow...kinda the 'armpit' area, so to speak.  The skins not nearly so tough there as it is over the shoulders or along the topline.

Straddle the goat across its neck and hold it with your legs.  You want to be facing the opposite direction as the goat, so you're kinda looking down their topline.  With your non-dominant hand, reach down to their armpit area, pinch up some hair between your thumb and forefinger, and pull straight out.  This should form a 'tent' in the skin.  With your dominant hand, put the needle straight down into the tent and push the plunger.  When all the med's in, withdraw the needle, put the cap back on, and let the goatie go.  

You'll do fine.


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## glenolam (Jul 2, 2010)

cm - is there any basis to whether the needle opening should be facing up or down?  I've heard that if the bore is facing down the meds will have a better chance of going in due to the direction the human is in (ex - standing up and forcing the needle in you direct the needle down, thus putting the bore in further, whereas if you have the bore on top, you might stop the tip from going in completely).


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## Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick (Jul 2, 2010)

Thank you cmjust0,
I have the 18g needle, Yikes, your right it is huge!
The oldest goat is approx. 40-45lbs.  Would I do 2cc or 2.5cc?  I am much happier doing SQ, it seems less intimidating.  The other goats are appox.  25-30lbs.  same 2cc dose or a little less?


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## Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick (Jul 2, 2010)

Just gave goats injections.  Awwww, poor Jingle she bawwllleeedd.   I just keep thinking.... this is for your own good sweetie.  Those hides are tough and for little goats, they sure can wiggle.  Hopefully it will be easier tonight.


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## ducks4you (Jul 2, 2010)

The "tent" that cmjust0 referred to (for an intermuscular shot) is to keep anaerobic bacteria from entering the injection site.  When you finish giving the injection, the skin returns to it's normal position with not one hole in the injection site but two holes that do not connect.  USually (according to my Vet from a long time ago when I learned to give my horse's their shots) IM shots are for killed/weakened virus for immunization or for something like penicillin.  Fortunately it doesn't go into the blood system quickly, like an introvenous shot does.  When you have livestock it is ALWAYS a good thing to know how to give your animal a shot!
But, NEXT time that your Vet is at your place, have them walk you through it--this is will give you more confidence.


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## cmjust0 (Jul 2, 2010)

glenolam said:
			
		

> cm - is there any basis to whether the needle opening should be facing up or down?  I've heard that if the bore is facing down the meds will have a better chance of going in due to the direction the human is in (ex - standing up and forcing the needle in you direct the needle down, thus putting the bore in further, whereas if you have the bore on top, you might stop the tip from going in completely).


Never had time to look..  I'm almost always holding the syringe in my mouth with the needle cap between my teeth, and once I get the animal secured and the skin tented, I grab the barrel of the syringe with my right hand and jerk it out of the cap (leaving the cap between my teeth)...and then I just stick'em!


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## cmjust0 (Jul 2, 2010)

Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick said:
			
		

> Thank you cmjust0,
> I have the 18g needle, Yikes, your right it is huge!
> The oldest goat is approx. 40-45lbs.  Would I do 2cc or 2.5cc?  I am much happier doing SQ, it seems less intimidating.  The other goats are appox.  25-30lbs.  same 2cc dose or a little less?


For 40-45lbs, I'd probably give 3ml..  For 25-30lbs, I'd probably give 2ml..





			
				ducks4you said:
			
		

> The "tent" that cmjust0 referred to (for an intermuscular shot) is to keep anaerobic bacteria from entering the injection site.  When you finish giving the injection, the skin returns to it's normal position with not one hole in the injection site but two holes that do not connect.


Uhhhhh...wha?

Tenting the skin is for subcutaneous injections, not intramuscular.  It has nothing to do with preventing bacteria from getting in, either...you tent so you can get the needle under the skin, which would be difficult any other way.  

When you're done, there should only be one injection hole.  If there are two, chances are they DO 'connect' which means you overshot and went in and right back out the other side, and proceeded to dispense your medication onto the ground.

Been there, done that.



			
				ducks4you said:
			
		

> USually (according to my Vet from a long time ago when I learned to give my horse's their shots) IM shots are for killed/weakened virus for immunization or for something like penicillin.  Fortunately it doesn't go into the blood system quickly, like an introvenous shot does.


Depends on the animal's metabolism..  With goats, they have a really fast metabolism and things injected SQ tend to get into the bloodstream rather quickly.  If the shot's given IM, it gets into the bloodstream REALLY quickly..



			
				ducks4you said:
			
		

> When you have livestock it is ALWAYS a good thing to know how to give your animal a shot!
> But, NEXT time that your Vet is at your place, have them walk you through it--this is will give you more confidence.


Or...just give a bunch of shots on a regular basis.  Eventually, you get to the point that you barely even feel bad for them anymore.


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## Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick (Jul 2, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> for 40-45lbs, I'd probably give 3ml..  For 25-30lbs, I'd probably give 2ml..


 That's what I suspected, Jingle got 3ml and the others got 2ml.



			
				ducks4you said:
			
		

> Or...just give a bunch of shots on a regular basis.  Eventually, you get to the point that you barely even feel bad for them anymore.    .





Oh my poor baby, she bawled, then went to lay in the shed and gave me the "up yours" face.  I felt so bad.


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## cmjust0 (Jul 2, 2010)

Time was, I couldn't move around in the barn without the goats packing up around me to be loved on or just to say Hi and see what I was up to..

Those days are pert'near over.

They still do my wife that way because she rarely ever does any of the pokey jabbey chokey stuff, but when *I* walk in the barn...they tend to 'git.  The dumber ones still come to me, but they're learning.

I'm actually pretty OK with the direction things are headed.  With as many animals as we have to deal with, the 'enjoyment' part of it is waning and I'm to a point where keeping them fed and breathing is accomplishment enough for most days..  I've definitely had about a bellyfull of all the animals being constantly under foot by now.

I still love'em, don't get me wrong...but when you LITERALLY can't swing a hammer without hitting a goat, it gets to be a bit much.


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