Читать книгу Medicine and Surgery of Camelids - Группа авторов - Страница 36

 There is less movement

 The movement is less violent, less erratic and more predictable

 The animal stays calm

 The muscles are not tight

 There is less likelihood of abscess

 It is faster and easier

 One can work alone, saving time, labor and makes the patient feel safer

Crowding the animals slows them down and they feel safer in a group. If you are giving injections to one animal, it is still useful to pack the pen with others; the patient will be much more cooperative with company and the other animals will help facilitate the injection process. The animals in a group pen are less reactive and do not kick or lie down as much. If there is an animal that is known to spit readily, the author recommends treating that animal first and then allowing it to leave.

There are several options for injection sites (Figure 2.29). Subcutaneous injections can be given just ahead of the shoulder blade about halfway down the body by reaching over the body to inject on the opposite side. In this way, the animal moves toward the person giving the injection when the needle enters the skin, and it is easier to keep the needle in the animal without the need for restraint. It is convenient to give intramuscular (IM) injections in the triceps muscle using this method as well. The triceps muscle is a large muscle and accommodating for IM injections. This muscle mass will accommodate up to 5 cc of medication for alpacas and slightly more for llamas (personal communication with Dr. David Anderson). Injections in the rear end are difficult to do without restraint and are difficult to inspect later or treat if there is a problem with the injection site.

Figure 2.29 Illustration of proper location for giving a subcutaneous and intramuscular injection.