Needle Shyness - specifically IV

[VestaStar]

Howdy!

I’ve worked with this mare a lot in terms of needle Shyness. She takes IM vaccines well, but the issue is IV. We can get the needle in fine, but once we go to attach the syringe all bets are off. A breeze could touch it, and she goes to shaking her head and rushing off as if she’s been bit ( I don’t blame her).

For now I’ve given the go ahead to give her sedation via IM, but I was wondering what people’s thoughts on this sort of thing might be? Has anyone had success with training a horse through this sort of reaction? It’s a hard one to simulate for training without actively placing a needle in her.

[yaya]

If you can get the needle in fine, why can’t you do it with the syringe already attached? Then draw back to make sure you’re in, and inject. One less time to have to approach her, and with the syringe attached, the needle should be more stable if it’s the wiggling around while attaching the syringe she doesn’t like.

[VestaStar]

I have tried this! I should clarify perhaps: It’s touching it that sets her off - the actual act of drawing it back once in the vein would be enough to undo her.

She is fine with drawing it back IM… Naturally… Sigh

[yaya]

You could try the pen cap routine. Just get her used to holding off the vein, then laying a capped ink pen along the vein like you would lay the needle before puncture, then work your way up to adding pressure to the capped pen, again like you would while inserting a needle (obviously without breaking the skin.) And with a cap for a Bic pen, it has kind of a tail on it that pokes somewhat, so it could be a little more like a needle poke. Lots of patience, and lots of treats may help get her used to the pressure, movement, and manipulation of the vein so that she can tolerate an injection.

[Warmblood1]

Practice giving injections on an orange or something similar so that when you draw back the plunger on the syringe, it’s a smooth motion. The worst part should be inserting the needle.

Also, a twitch does wonders. Blindfolding and a twitch works well on really terrible cases.

[endlessclimb]

Pulling back and injecting is all one handed, the other hand is just holding the vein/needle.

On the left side - left hand holds the vein. Right hand inserts the needle, holding middle to top of the syringe/needle combo. Ring finger pushes out on plunger using the part of the finger between the first and second knuckle, if blood then ring finger switches sides and depresses the plunger. Left hand never moved. Right hand only a finger moved.

I will say this only works on smaller syringes, 20cc or less.

[Texarkana]

Personally, I’ve never seen training or conditioning help this. A small number of horses are just hypersensitive to it for whatever reason.

I think management is your best plan. Avoid IV injections when possible— for blood draws, the vet can use the facial vein if she tolerates that better. When you have a medication that has no choice but to go in the vein, plan accordingly with a handler, a twitch, IM sedation if necessary. The blindfold is a good suggestion that may help.

[Simkie]

I’ve found that proactively twitching horses like this a few times resolves these issues.

[VestaStar]

All great advice, thanks everyone!

[EventerAJ]

Another vote to twitch. And do it before you attempt to inject the first time-- twitch goes on, pause for horse to relax with twitch; rub the neck, thumb the vein, inject and go.

I had a needle shy mare who would tense and brace her whole neck if she knew a needle was coming. You had 1 chance to hit the vein; if you rubbed her jugular a second time, her whole body quivered, her neck went rock hard and she buried the vein (and would occasionally bite/strike at the shot-giver). Twitching helped, positive reinforcement (with the pen cap, as suggested above) helped, but mostly it was just proper fast technique and no second chances.

We have a yearling colt similar to yours who is okay for the stab, but the instant the needle wiggles he is all over the place trying to get away. He also has a tendency to twist his head/neck, throwing his nose up and down, which doesn’t make it easy! Twitching or a lip chain helps a lot, but you really can’t fumble around on ones like him.