common pre meds

Re: common pre meds

Vicky RVN — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:37:57 GMT

[quote user="Nick Shackleton"]

Also I would add if you have a large breed dog or one with "big bones" or "glandular" problems then I would go for a 1 inch needle rather than 5/8 as your likely not to get your premedicant intramuscular

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Hahaha! Fatties!!!

Re: common pre meds

Maisy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:36:49 GMT

[quote user="Vicky SVN"]

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Depends upon how viscous the drug is. For something like a cats premed you could still use a 25g needle as the pressure will be minimal.

Re: common pre meds

Nick Shackleton — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:36:20 GMT

Re: common pre meds

Vicky RVN — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:32:43 GMT

One thing to say with needle sizes, if a large amount is to be injected then you don't want to use a small needle, there would be a lot of pressure on the needle so would be uncomfortable and it would take longer to inject. A vet i've worked with has had i/m injections. I always used to use orange needle for i/m on cats. She said when she's had i/m herself she found a bigger needle far less painful than a smaller one, as there is less pressure. So now tend to use a blue needle for all i/m jabs.

Re: common pre meds

Darina McGill — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:47:08 GMT

lol thanks for all your help guys!!!

i think there should be more help there should be more help out there for trainees i have text books and experiance but it would be good to have it all in one tho!

we all were trainees/new once!

XxX

Re: common pre meds

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:34:04 GMT

[quote user="Darina McGill"]

hi! i looove it!! going college in sept. we have charts but only for metacam, the other nurse draws them up tho the other day i did it but had it cheacked/watched by her and the vet. thanks for the colour chart i was trying to get use to thinking about it, im just trying to get ahead in the game lol.

the other nurse was talking about using the different needles depending on the viscoatiy of the drug?? whats that about?? i no clam la is given in a green one so are the think meds always given in the green one and watery one in the yellow ones?

thank very much!!

[/quote]

The viscosity of the drug basically means how watery or thick it is . So Clam La is quite 'thick', so a bigger needle will be needed, ie a green needle.

Most premeds are 'watery' so a smaller needle can be used, ie an orange or blue.

Sorry if that was over-simplisic , but hope it helps!

My first ever injection was clam la sub cut in a big dog- the other nurses made it look easy, but it wrecked my thumb trying to push the plunger down lol! purely due to it being a 'thick' substance forced thru a needle

Re: common pre meds

Maisy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:31:35 GMT

Glad you're enjoying it! The manufacturer of Vetergesic (think its Alstoe) make a really good chart for ACP/Vet premeds, so if you use this it would be worth contacting the rep for a copy. Otherwise ask your vets what dose they prefer to use as a chart could be made up this way-very handy to have available for when you're drawing meds up.

With viscosity the thicker drugs such as antibiotics (Synulox/Amoxy/Clam) need a wider bore needle as otherwise when you inject, the pressure of the liquid going through a thinner needle usually results in the syringe popping off the needle and the drug going everywhere! Premed drugs tend to be more watery consistency so you can use a smaller needle.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Re: common pre meds

Darina McGill — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:20:56 GMT

thank very much!!

Re: common pre meds

Maisy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:11:38 GMT

Hi Darina,

Welcome! Hope you're enjoying your new job. Premeds cover quite a range of different drugs depending upon what your practices uses, as this will vary from each place. Has your practice got a chart anywhere with what drugs you use as premeds? Who draws the premeds up? If you don't have a chart, see if one can be made up as the doses tend to have a fairly wide range and dose depends on a number of factors which the vet will account for.

As for needle sizes the most commonly used are:

25g x 5/8th" (yellow) - would use for s/c and i/m in small furries, i/m for cats (and s/c if the cat is little!)

23g x 5/8 (blue) - s/c for most, i/m for dogs

21g x 5/8 (green) - s/c dogs

All depends upon the size of the animal though and there are larger gauge needles and different lengths too.