Medication administration

Question 1

Proper oral med preparation

Answer 1

prepare syringe: cut barrel at injection end, smooth so rough and not irritating (if plunger gets stuck over time from use, use vaseline to fix)
pour in mixer: molasses, corn syrup, apple sauce - until desired consistency
pour in meds: mix together
desired consistency between watery and ball

Question 2

Mix drugs in feed?

Answer 2

rarely done

advantages: can be used if horse difficult, mouth or head shy
disadvantages: powder settles to bottom, lost, not eaten

Question 3

Balling guns in equine patients?

Answer 3

generally not used, more typical for use in bovine species

Question 4

Diastema

Answer 4

gap space between teeth –> be careful of plunger, round up on drug calculations to account for loss

Question 5

T/F: when giving oral meds, place syringe in diastema facing towards the nose

Answer 5

false, face it away from nose

Question 6

typical needle size for an IV injection in a horse?

Answer 6

18G 1 1/2” needle

Question 7

Needle placement technique

Answer 7

always seed the needle hub
needle pointed towards head (easier) or towards heart (better if horse tries to pull away but higher risk of hand contamination - risk clostridium infection)
normally place catheter towards heart

Question 8

common used syringe in IV infections

Answer 8

slip tip

Question 9

Describe relevance of the proximity of the carotid a. and jugular v. in regards to IV injection in the neck.

Answer 9

they are very close, and there are severe consequences to injecting a drug into the carotid –> most significant outcome = death! (also seizures)

• seed the needle into the vessel
• if blood starts gushing out like crazy, you are in the jugular (this is seen even more if you have needle towards the heart)
• if blood drips out as you hold pressure proximally, and less blood exits as you let up pressure, you are in the jugular and can attach your syringe

Question 10

Needle size for IM injection

Answer 10

18-19-20G 1 1/2” needle

no less 21G 1/12” needle

Question 11

landmarks for IM neck injection

Answer 11

ventral to ligamentum nuchae
dorsal to lateral processes of cervical vertebrae
leading edge of shoulder

avoid fascial planes

Question 12

Technique for IM neck injection

Answer 12

pinch skin in area then place needle (not syringe)
attach syringe and aspirate to ensure no blood
inject maximum of 15cc per injection site

Question 13

Landmarks for IM semitendinosus/semimembranosus injection

Answer 13

one hand’s width below tuber ischia
one hand’s width above start of gastrocnemius tendon
outside thigh

avoid fascial planes

Question 14

Technique for IM semitendinosus/semimembranosus injection

Answer 14

tap near area then place needle (not syringe)
attach syringe and aspirate to ensure no blood
max 15-20cc per site, can do 2 sites on each leg