Safe injection technique refresher

Senior staff with vet-delegated authority to inject.

• ◆Identify and rotate safe injection sites
• ◆Aspirate, inject and observe correctly
• ◆Recognise and respond to adverse reactions
• ◆Record administration to veterinary standard

1. 01.

   Site & technique

   Neck, pectoral, semitendinosus — with anatomical landmarks.

   • ·Landmarking the three primary IM sites with photographs
   • ·Needle and syringe selection by drug viscosity and volume
   • ·Aspirate-and-inject sequence — step-by-step demonstration video
   • ·Rotation logs to prevent muscle injury and abscess
2. 02.

   Restraint & safety

   Handler position, sedation, fractious horses.

   • ·Handler positioning to keep both people safe
   • ·Twitching, sedation and ear-hold — when each is appropriate
   • ·Reading the about-to-kick horse — pre-empt signals
   • ·Two-person protocols for first-time-injected horses
3. 03.

   When it goes wrong

   Anaphylaxis, abscess, broken needle — the first five minutes.

   • ·Anaphylaxis recognition and the adrenaline conversation with your vet
   • ·Broken-needle protocol — stay still, mark the site, call
   • ·Injection-site abscess: early signs and escalation criteria
   • ·Documentation the vet needs after any adverse event

Bring written confirmation from your vet that you are authorised to administer IM injections on the yard.

Pass a 20-question written competency paper and submit a video of three injections (one per site) within 30 days, signed off by your supervising vet.

• §BEVA 'Safe injection practices' position statement
• §RCVS Code of Professional Conduct — delegation to non-veterinary staff
• §VMD guidance on POM-V administration by lay persons