EQUINE 305

The Risks of
Improper
Injections
By Alexis Willis

THIS BLOG WILL DISCUSS

❖ The Triangle of
Safety
❖ The Jugular Vein
VS. the Carotid
Artery
❖ The Importance
of Needle and
Medication
Education
Figure 1: Represents the vital organs on a horse’s neck
and where to properly administer a shot (Thal, Doug).

Figure 2: The image

depicted to the right
shows the ill use of
Banamine injections
(“Risk”).

The Triangle of Safety
Where to properly inject an IM
(intramuscular) and SC
(subcutaneaous) shot
~ A rule of thumb when injecting an SC or IM shot
is to stay inside the triangle of safety. This area
begins at the base of the scapula and forms a
small triangle below the nuchal ligament and
above the vertebrae of the spine. This area is a
common injection site for IM and SC due to its
distance from vital organs.
The Jugular Vein VS. The
Carotid Artery
Where to properly inject an IV
(intravenous) shot
~ IV injections are a bit more complicated than
SC/IM shots due to their proximity to the
circulatory system. The correct place to insert an
IV shot is in the jugular vein, which is right next to
the carotid artery. However, under no
circumstances should the injections be
administered in the carotid artery. Christian R.G.
in the The Canadian Veterinary Journal stated
that when this mistake occurs edemas and
hemorrhaging start to form (Christian et. al. 29).
After these life-threatening issues progress, the
horse eventually passes away. This occurrence is
why it is very important to check if you’ve
pricked the jugular vein or the carotid artery
during injections. This test can be done by
palpating the vein. First, cup your free hand on
the low end of the horse’s neck. Then squeeze
the neck slowly and watch for the “raising” of the
jugular vein. By squeezing this vein, you can
properly spot the correct injection site, due to the
area filling with blood during the palpation.
Once you’ve found the vein, you can proceed
to insert the needle at a horizontal angle, so the
needle is traveling the length of the vein. When
you believe you’ve inserted the needle into the
vein, it is extremely important that you confirm it is
truly placed in the channel. Slowly pull back on
the needle to see if a stream of dark red blood
flows into the syringe. The blood is a sign that
you’ve stuck the needle into the jugular vein.
However, if you pull back on the needle and
there is no blood flow, that means you’ve placed
the needle in the wrong spot. If this occurs, you
must move the placement of the injection. In no
case, should you inject the medicine in the
syringe if you don’t have a dark red
bloodstream. On one hand, it is very easy to
administer the medicine. On the other hand, it is
just as easy to improperly place your injection
and put your horse’s life at risk.
EQUINE 305
Know your Needle Safety!
The Importance of Needle and Medication
Education
~ After looking at the issues that can arise with the misplacement of
injections, it is important to stay educated on needle and medical
practices. The common 3 ways of injections are IM, IV, and SC;
each of these methods is limited to specific medicines. An
example of this is the overuse of Banamine IM injections. Dr.
Fernanda Camargo expresses, in the lecture “NSAID’s: Non-
Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.”, that administering Banamine in
the IM form can potentially cause clostridial myositis (Camargo 6).
This is because the clostridium bacteria can remain inert inside the
muscle of the horse. When the needle punctures the muscle, this
allows for the bacteria to create gas pockets inside the skin and kill
the muscle due to infection. Banamine should only be given orally
or by IV to prevent clostridial myositis. This infection displays the
significance of medical education. Knowing how medications can
be administered and how to safely inject a needle is the difference
between life and death. As an owner, it is your duty to stay
informed and apply safe practices in your herd.
References:
Thal, Doug. “Injecting Your Horse Can Be Hazardous.
Know the Risks!” HSVG Blog, Horse Side Vet
Guide, 19 May 2017,
horsesidevetguide.com/Injecting+your+horse+
can+be+hazardous+.
“Risk of Administering Banamine Intramuscularly.”
Fox Valley Equine Practice, 26 July 2016,
www.foxvalleyequine.com/risk-of-
administering-banamine-intramuscularly/.
Christian, R.G. et. al. “Accidental intracartoid artery
injection of promazine in the horse.” The
Canadian Veterinary Journal, vol. 15, no. 2,
1974, pp. 29-33.
Camargo, Fernanda. “NSAID’s: Non-Steroidal Anti-
Inflammatory Drugs.” EQM 351-001: Equine
Health and Diseases, 13 Feb. 2023, Lexington,
University of Kentucky. Lecture.