VCP 411: Medicine Section

INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS

• Choose muscle tissue of lesser value to consumers for IM injections.
• In cattle, for example, IM injections where possible, are often given in the neck area instead of the hip.
• Draw air into the syringe and inject the same volume of air into the bottle as the volume you plan to take out of the bottle to equalize the pressure. Failure to do so will make it difficult to withdraw the contents of the vial or bottle.
• After filling the syringe with the product to be injected, point the syringe upwards and tap the barrel with your finger to make air bubbles move upwards into the syringe tip. Slowly and carefully push the plunger to eject the air bubbles from the syringe before injecting the product.
• Give IM injections deep into a muscle. Use a needle long enough to penetrate skin, subcutaneous tissue and fat to reach the muscle. The needle should enter the skin perpendicular to the skin surface.
• Insert the needle into the animal, and then attach the syringe to the needle. Check that the needle is not in a blood vessel by pulling back on the plunger and observing for blood flow in the tip of the syringe. If blood appears, remove the needle and put it in a different location at least one inch away from the original injection site.