Big Bute paste syringe hacks?

[monstrpony]

I’ve been able to get Bute paste recently in the large 60cc/20 gram syringes. This morning, I was trying to give a 1/2 gram dose to one of my mini-donks, and … it’s virtually impossible. Especially at 14 degrees. In general, I find these large syringes difficult–difficult to operate, difficult to get accurate measured dose, just generally a pain. For the 1 gm dose for a horse, I end up pushing it out on my finger and scraping it off on their teeth. Which is risky for my finger, to say the least.

Anyone have some good tricks/strategies for dealing with these syringes? I love having the paste, but life was sure easier with the smaller syringes.

[2DogsFarm]

Could you dispense the paste into a smaller (10cc) syringe?
Then cut the top of the smaller syringe so you can paste using that.

If you use your fingerful of paste, why not push in at the bar & onto the tongue - better yet: onto the soft palate where there’s a better chance it will get swallowed.

[monstrpony]

@2DogsFarm

If you use your fingerful of paste, why not push in at the bar & onto the tongue - better yet: onto the soft palate where there’s a better chance it will get swallowed.

Can’t get enough of it to rub off on the tongue, too much sticks to my finger. I have used the palate–kind of whatever I can hit.

[fanfayre]

Have you got hot running water in your barn? You could run the syringe under the hot water for 20-30 seconds which will warm the past enough to flow through the tube a bit easier.
Alternatively, put the syringe in a pants pocket or against your skin (bottom layer) for a few minutes. Your body heat will do the same thing as the hot water.

[melula]

No tricks. I quit using the bute paste. Powder mixed with apple sauce works like a charm.

[EquineJunky]

I have prepped my dosing finger with a thin layer of oil/cooking spray before going to the barn and squeezing out on my finger before. Helps keep it from sticking to my finger and offloads into the mouth easier.

[cruisecontrol]

I keep the bute at my house and like others said keep against skin or in a pocket where it won’t have time to get hard. alternatively my friend makes bute treats with oats and molasses that she can throw in their feed and they eat it happily. I quit the paste though a opted for powder once I moved to a boarding barn. easier for everyone to just mix it with whatever.