This article is a continuation of a series of articles on giving your horse a shot. In this particular article, you will see many of the same fundamental guidelines as seen in the last article (administering intramuscular shots). In this edition, we will specifically discuss administering intravenous shots.

During the course of owning or caring for horses, it may be necessary for you to administer an intramuscular shot. When you do, it is imperative that you use only the best areas to apply the shots and be aware of the repercussions of not properly applying the shots. You should always consult your veterinarian prior to administering any type of shot. There are four separate ways to administer shots to horses:

• Intravenous injections administered into a vein
   
• Intradermal injections administered into the skin
   
• Subcutaneous injections administered underneath the skin
   
• Intramuscular (IM) injections administered into a large muscle mass

When approaching your horse to administer the shot, it is best to spend a few minutes with the horse to ensure that he or she is in a calm state and ready to be handled. Horses that have had shots before tend to remember and may refuse if they had a negative experience or simply do not like shots. Keep in mind that a horse that objects to the shot can easily hurt the handler. Additionally, many drugs given to horses can have adverse reactions if absorbed into human skin or if accidentally injected into the handler or person administering the shots. It is crucial to discuss the drug with your veterinarian to identify any precautions that must be taken. It is also best to double-check the label prior to giving the shot to ensure that it is the correct drug, the expiration date has not expired and you are sure of the recommended dosage. In general, consider the following recommendations:

1. Apply generous amounts of alcohol to the area intended for the injection. If no alcohol is available or to achieve maximum sterilization, shave the area where the shot will be given.
    
2. With needle in hand, rub up and down on the injection site. This will distract the horse and desensitize the area.
    
3. While rubbing and in one continuous movement, insert the needle, continuing to rub the area after the needle is inserted. Practice is essential to make this go smoothly.
    
4. Observe the horse for any signs of allergic reaction for about 30 minutes after giving the injection.

Dr. Robert Remlinger, D.V.M., shares his knowledge on giving intravenous shots. In particular, he indicates the following procedures to follow:

• It is imperative that the medication be administered slowly (about one millilitre per five seconds) into the jugular vein. Accidental injection of many medications outside the vein (perivascular) will often result in damage to and possible sloughing of the surrounding soft tissue. Inadvertent administration of medication into the underlying artery can result in a life-threatening situation! Repeated intravenous injections can also result in infection and/or thrombosis (blood clot) of the jugular vein.
   
• IV injections should be performed in the anterior (top) third of the neck, and it is usually easier to do so on the left side. First, the injection site should be swabbed with 70 percent alcohol. Next, distend (raise) the jugular vein by apply ing digital pressure just below the venipuncture site.
   
• For a full-grown horse, a 19- to 20-gauge needle is aligned over the distended vein and inserted, on an angle, into the vein. Correct placement of the needle will result in the hub of the needle filling with blood at a moderate rate. Spurting of blood from the needle hub probably means the needle has accidentally entered the artery, and so the needle must be withdrawn and redirected into the vein.
   
• After correct placement of the needle, the syringe containing the medication is carefully attached to the needle. Pulling back on the syringe plunger should result in a flashback of blood into the syringe if you still have the needle properly placed. The medication can then be injected intravenously. Take care to recheck the position of the needle by slightly pulling back on the plunger after every few millilitres are injected.

1. Follow the recommended method of drug storage.

2. Do not mix individually packaged drugs in the same injection. It is better to play it safe and give the horse two separate injections.

3. Untie the horse and hold its lead rope or have someone else hold it.

4. If the horse tries to kick, pull his head toward you (this will swing his rear end away from you).

5. Make sure you use a sterile needle and syringe. Individually packaged, disposable sterile needles and syringes are the easiest way to ensure sterile equipment. Open the packages immediately before use, and dispose of them immediately after use. Never reuse a needle, because a contaminated needle can easily introduce an infection into a horse.

Green Horse All Around: Jeremy Cox	Youth All Around: Dillon Cox
Non Pro All Around: Jeremy Cox	Novice All Around: Jessica Otto
Open All Around: Haley Pigue

Please join us for the 2011 Berryville show and clinic on August 6 and 7 at the Carroll County Fairgrounds. The format will be the same as all shows, with a clinic on Saturday and a show on Sunday. Visit arkstockhorse.org for more information about upcoming shows and clinics, along with results from each show. We can also be found on facebook or call Nathan Wells at 870-219-3788 or Mark Russell 501-590-5748 if you have any questions regarding upcoming events.

Equine Infectious Anemia Reported in Arkansas
Mary Hightower, Assistant Director - Communications and Marketing

A virus fatal to horses has been reported in Johnson County and with the horse show season coming to its climax, horse owners need to protect their mounts, Mark Russell, extension equine specialist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture said Thursday.

The Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission reported Wednesday that there were multiple positives in testing for equine infectious anemia, or EIA, in a herd in Clarksville.

“At present, the infection seems to be isolated to the single herd,” the commission said. “There has not been any information that warrants canceling horse shows, etc., in Arkansas at the present time.”

Arkansas state law requires all equines that live in state for more than 30 days to be tested for EIA every 12 months – a test known as a Coggins test.

Horse show operators generally require horse owners to show proof of a current negative Coggins test.

With county fairs underway and the State Fair upcoming, many Arkansans are trailering their show horses around the state.

The best way to protect horses is to “get a Coggins test and only go to events where there will be a reliable individual who is a certified EIA verifier at the gate checking Coggins papers,” Russell said.

The virus can be transmitted by blood-feeding insects such as horse flies, deer flies and mosquitoes and can also be transmitted by use of non-sterile surgical equipment.

“Controlling flies around the barn and using repellants are an important defense as well,” Russell said.”

EIA is caused by a retrovirus that induces a long-lasting infection in members of the equine family, including horses, mules, donkeys and zebras. The disease can appear in three forms:

• Acute, in which animals are obviously very sick and likely to die.
   
• Chronic, in which the animal may suffer intermittent fever, hemorrhaging and become weaker. The episodes of symptoms can vary in severity and can be fatal.
   
• In the “inapparent” form, infected animals may appear normal, but they are carriers of the virus for life.

For information about EIA, contact your veterinarian. The publication, “Equine Infectious Anemia in Arkansas,” is available online at http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-3032.pdf.

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