Safe Subcutaneous Injections
May 8, 2016 6:28:18 GMT 10
Post by Tom Meulman on May 8, 2016 6:28:18 GMT 10
While I have posted this previously a recent post reminded me It needed to be posted again. Unfortunately at times information gets lost amongst the various posts or it gets posted under the wrong heading and can be time consuming to find.
There are various methods used to try and ensure that whatever is injected actually finishes up under the skin. The most common method involves picking up the skin so it forms a triangle and then injecting into the area of skin so exposed, and this method looks OK and is in fact the way Veterinarians are taught to do it in Uni.
Unfortunately it can and does go wrong at times, and can be a real disaster.
For instance when it involves immunization injections and results in one pup out of a litter not being immunized because the vaccine is caught between the layers of skin stopping it from being absorbed efficiently and quickly. Or when the substance that has been injected causes an allergic reaction by being caught between layers of skin resulting in a nasty wound that takes time to heal and can even result in a skin to muscle tissue adhesion.
There is only one way to ensure that the needle of the syringe is actually under the skin, and that is to pinch a layer of skin between thumb and forefinger so that you have hold of a double strip of skin at least 30 to 35mm wide. To then push the needle of the syringe through both layers of skin just in front of and as close as possible to where your fingers are pinching the skin together, and then by releasing the skin letting the outer layer of skin slide back off the needle.
The needle is now laying under the skin, and you can then inject whatever SC injection you are using safely and with the assurance that it will actually finish up under the skin.
Important please note..... As with all injections is is absolutely essential that the correct method is used to disinfect the skin prior to any injections, preferably with isopropyl alcohol swabs such as Medi Swabs, and no that does not include wiping the area with methylated spirits because if some of that is punched under the skin along with the injection a nasty allergic reaction could occur.
Cheers,
Tom
There are various methods used to try and ensure that whatever is injected actually finishes up under the skin. The most common method involves picking up the skin so it forms a triangle and then injecting into the area of skin so exposed, and this method looks OK and is in fact the way Veterinarians are taught to do it in Uni.
Unfortunately it can and does go wrong at times, and can be a real disaster.
For instance when it involves immunization injections and results in one pup out of a litter not being immunized because the vaccine is caught between the layers of skin stopping it from being absorbed efficiently and quickly. Or when the substance that has been injected causes an allergic reaction by being caught between layers of skin resulting in a nasty wound that takes time to heal and can even result in a skin to muscle tissue adhesion.
There is only one way to ensure that the needle of the syringe is actually under the skin, and that is to pinch a layer of skin between thumb and forefinger so that you have hold of a double strip of skin at least 30 to 35mm wide. To then push the needle of the syringe through both layers of skin just in front of and as close as possible to where your fingers are pinching the skin together, and then by releasing the skin letting the outer layer of skin slide back off the needle.
The needle is now laying under the skin, and you can then inject whatever SC injection you are using safely and with the assurance that it will actually finish up under the skin.
Important please note..... As with all injections is is absolutely essential that the correct method is used to disinfect the skin prior to any injections, preferably with isopropyl alcohol swabs such as Medi Swabs, and no that does not include wiping the area with methylated spirits because if some of that is punched under the skin along with the injection a nasty allergic reaction could occur.
Cheers,
Tom