Injecting your snake

[.: Laura :.]

Right, had a phonecall from my other half who has just taken Lola to the vet and we have been issued with more antibiotics in pre-loaded syringes.

How the hell do I do this???

Simple step-by-step instructions would be greatly appreciated

Bare in mind Lola is 6mnth old garter so she is tiny

[Freebody]

Injecting your Snake (http://www.oceananimalclinic.com/snakeinj/SNAKEINJ.htm) :) hope this helps, i seen my vet do it a few times and the snake does not even seem to notice it happening.

[Will0W783]

It's not hard once you get the hang of it, but is best as a two-person job. One person holds the snake, restraining its back end and trying to stretch the front part out as much as possible, while holding the head still. Most of the antibiotics, in fact all the ones I've dealt with (Baytril, Fortaz, Amikacin) are intramuscular injections, which means you need to hold the needle at a very shallow angle, almost horizontal but not quite. Locate the spine with a finger and gently move sideways a bit to where you can feel the strong side muscles. Quickly stick the needle in and depress it, and gently pull it out in one smooth motion. ALWAYS inject in the first 1/3 of the body length, as snakes have a renal portal system. All the blood in the back half of the body is filtered through the kidneys before being sent to the front half and then pushed back by new flow. Therefore, if you inject in into the body in front of the kidneys, the drug will go through the whole bloodstream; but if you inject behind the kidneys it will be filtered out of the blood before it has a chance to circulate.

[percey39]

Its very easy as Kim has said with 2 people and gets a bit hard by yourself. You are only meant to stick the needle just below the skin and you should see a small lump there when you pull the needle out. This lump should disapear quickly.

[.: Laura :.]

In theory I should be fine.. I do a lot of electrolysis which is working with a needle that's finer than a hair but I'm still worried about doing it :(

[shaunyboy]

freebodys link pretty much covers it.

after you've done it 2 or 3 times you'll be wondering what all the fuss was about pal.

always remember to draw the plunger back a little to make sure your not in a vein.if blood appears then try again at a different spot.id say roughly a 15 degree angle is what your looking for as you put the needle in.

i always wash the site i'm about to inject with some warm soapy water and a cloth.i wash the site after the injection giving the injection site a wee rub to dissapate and fluid that may have accumulated at the site.

hope your snake gets better pal

cheers shaun