injection methods please

[FaunaBgirl]

I have to give my veiled shots for the next couple of weeks. I am looking for methods that are less traumatic for him. He cried when he got his first shot at the vet. I hope I do a more 'buttery" job of it, but still... It's not pleasant and I'll have to do this alone, with no help. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[AFH]

The way I was shown was to pinch a little skin on their side and insert the needle almost parallel with the body. That way you're putting the medicine under the skin, but you're not puncturing the muscle.

 

[bucky]

Im sorry to hear this fauna I dont like seeing my cham in pain either. My guess(although i have never have to do this,so i wouldnt really listen)would be not to puncture his skin too much,just barely go in if possible. Good luck.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

My first shot left a black mark on GUido, which eventually faded away. The rest of them went much better. I don't know if this will help, but this is how I do it: Hold cham firmly in left hand (I am right handed), with its head away from me. Place needle against skin, just below that little concave area just below the backbone, with the beveled part of the needle point facing outward (that way the fluid fills the loose gap between skin rather than pressing against other tissue). Needle is resting against cham's body. Slide the point between 2 scales, and inject (this is the part that makes it go smoothly- getting it between 2 scales). Our one vet said you do this into the upper half of the body (from midsection to head). You don't inject into the lower half of the body (from midsection to tail) because the med could go directly to the kidneys then.

I am assuming this is subcutaneous, not intramuscular?

 

[AFH]

Unfortunately, you do have to get the needle a little ways under the skin, otherwise, when you pull it out, the medicine squirts out the hole.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Unfortunately, you do have to get the needle a little ways under the skin, otherwise, when you pull it out, the medicine squirts out the hole.

Yes, good point, because I have made that mistake.

 

[kinyonga]

Geesh...I've always been told to inject it into the upper arm.

 

[FaunaBgirl]

My apologies for not mentioning that this is intramuscular. I'd prefer sub Q Z. if I could. but it is in the lower arm muscle I am to inject 3mm's of Ceftazidime. (alternating arms per shots)
I guess what I was asking is for a way I can keep my guy from fearing me.. throwing a towel over him and hurting him sucks and what if he fights me?
When I have given humans injections, my (upper arm) intramuscular method was to pinch under the muscle pulling it up from the bone, making the skin taut. I won't have both hands available if I have to be holding him too.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Geesh...I've always been told to inject it into the upper arm.

I didn't know. Our vets both did it on the body. The vets were very specific about location. These were subcutaneous injections. We were to avoid muscular areas. Is the upper arm better?

 

[kinyonga]

All I know is that it has always worked not only with chameleons but other lizards that I have had to inject with antibiotics. I was always told to alternate arms and chose different sites on the arm each time I did it though.

They have given shots of fluids on the upper body though. (I haven't had to do this.)

 

[AFH]

All I know is that it has always worked not only with chameleons but other lizards that I have had to inject with antibiotics. I was always told to alternate arms and chose different sites on the arm each time I did it though.

They have given shots of fluids on the upper body though. (I haven't had to do this.)

Well, hell. The shots I gave were antibiotics and my vet showed me subcutaneous. She didn't make it, so now I wonder...

 

[kinyonga]

I'm sure that giving the shots in the arm is not the only way. There could have been another reason your chameleon died. I'll come back and talk about this more later....I have a few things to get done!

 

[AFH]

I'm sure you're right, it could have been a few things (including poor health to begin with, that was the last time I bought from a pet store). But now I'm interested in what is the most effective way. Does it depend on the medicine? The dosage? The ailment?

 

[kinyonga]

Injections...
http://books.google.com/books?id=8W...ts=nS-qW7Q3xN&sig=-y5250YU5HNJyhShLDbe8EMsq2s

http://books.google.com/books?id=8W...ts=nS-qW7S4xH&sig=GQZHwhDF8yr2u0gNHjOwEoFM1lU
"some antibiotics must be injected in the fore part of the body anway from the kidneys"

http://www.anapsid.org/fluids.html

 

[CleanLineChameleons]

It depends what kind of shot it is. If it is a subcutaneous shot then it could be pretty much anywhere as long as it is under the skin...I know that is the meaning of subcutaneous but I just wanted to clairify. I do all my shots right behind the arm (see pic) I angle the syringe almost parallel with the chameleon (a slight angle) and run it the direction of the chameleon (needle pointed towards the head and plunger toward the tale). Make sure you have a good grip of you chameleon, hold his head still and do it quickly. Just go under the skin and push it in, you may see a little bulge where the fluid is, which is fine. I kinda massage it in a little just because it looks uncomfortable.

Anyways here is a pic of the location:



-chris

 

[Dankmeleon]

rarely on this site does a thread come up that makes me absolutely cringe inside, this along with the snake eating the cham have certainly fit that description

 

[AFH]

Injections...
http://books.google.com/books?id=8W...ts=nS-qW7Q3xN&sig=-y5250YU5HNJyhShLDbe8EMsq2s

http://books.google.com/books?id=8W...ts=nS-qW7S4xH&sig=GQZHwhDF8yr2u0gNHjOwEoFM1lU
"some antibiotics must be injected in the fore part of the body anway from the kidneys"

http://www.anapsid.org/fluids.html

Thanks! So it does depend on the ailment and medicine. The moral of the story is listen to your vet.

 

[MWheelock]

Ask your veterinarian if he is okay with you giving the ceftazadime SQ or IC.

This drug can be given many ways fairly safely with (I believe) the same effectiveness.

IM injections seem to be a little more painful (in my opinion) and if you can do something else, it may be better.

Good luck,
Matthew

 

[FaunaBgirl]

Ask your veterinarian if he is okay with you giving the ceftazadime SQ or IC.

This drug can be given many ways fairly safely with (I believe) the same effectiveness.

IM injections seem to be a little more painful (in my opinion) and if you can do something else, it may be better.

Good luck,
Matthew

Thank you for the information.

I managed the IM shot, but in an effort to stay away from the bone, I wonder if I got deep enough. (people are so much easier to inject) I also suspect that the vet, in this case, prefered injection, to oral, to avoid creating any eating problem, since one of his current and ongoing problems is he won't eat crickets, just worms.