Pulled shoulder muscle and giving shots...

[roxy's_mom]

My little mare some how pulled a shoulder muscle friday night, i think she slipped on the mud that came from all the rain we've had for two days.

Called my vet Saturday morning to get his advice on what I needed to do. His recommendations were to wrap all four legs from fetlock to the knee and hock, 1/2 tablet of Bute 2x daily for 3 days then cut back to 1/4 tablet for the remaining 4 days, 5cc Penicillin 2x daily for 7 days, and hose/massage shoulder area 2-3x daily if possible for several days to help with swelling and turnout to keep her from getting stiff. She went from not bearing weight friday night/saturday morning to putting some weight on saturday afternoon/evening and all of today. The swelling seems to have gone down and she seems in better spirits but still limps.

I've been giving the Penicillin in her mouth because I'm afraid to give shots (heard to many stories of people giving shots and accidently killing the horse) and because I'm afraid of needles myself ( I can use a needle to get the Penicillin out of the bottle but that's it). She won't eat anything after I give her the Penicillin in the mouth, I think it makes her food taste bad. My vet has showed me many times where I can give shots in the neck but I can never seem to remember how far past the shoulder I can go and be safe with out hitting anything major. What's the width you can go past the shoulder, any one know? Hand's width up and over? And the needle I have is a 22G x 3/4", would that size work or do I need to get smaller needles? Thanks for any help or advice!

Becky M.

 

[Minimor]

I don't think penicillin is effective when given orally? At least not the liquid penicillin meant to be given by way of injection. Banamine can be given orally, but I've never heard of anyone giving penicillin that way.

I use 20 x 1" or 20 by 1 1/2" when giving IM injections; 3/4" is too short.

 

[Dr. Pam]

Please don't give 1/2 gr bute twice a day unless your mini weighs 500-700 pounds!!! Minis are very sensitive to bute and are prone to severe gastric ulcers and liver failure. I would go with the 1/4 tab twice daily for 2-3 days, then 1/4 tab once daily if she still needs it.

I'm picturing the look on your mares face when you put the penicillin in her mouth. YUCK!! Horses can't absorb and use penicillin orally--it can only be given by injection. You CAN give the injectable form of banamine orally if you ever need to. Ask your veterinarian if you can give one of the sulfa trimethoprim combinations available. It comes as powder, tablets, and paste, and is a very good broad spectrum antibiotic.

I like the leg wrapping--it helps prevent dependent edema--and stall rest. I'm so glad she pulled it instead of breaking it, but soft tissue damage to ligaments and tendons can take longer to heal than bone. Good luck with her!

 

[roxy's_mom]

Thanks for the advice. I guess I'll have to make a trip to somewhere to get better needles. My vet didn't come and see my mare, he just asked me questions about a couple things and then gave me directions. So unless she starts running a temp he doesn't want to see her. Thanks again for the advice.

Becky M.