Alternate injection sites

[mariaricarto]

I have a 2 month old ewe that got attacked by a dog.

She has puncture wounds on both sides of her neck and in the inner thigh of one hind leg. I am giving her Pen G .5cc once a day. The left thigh is a good site but I would like to use another site too. I gave today's dose in the tiny muscle of the front leg. Any ideas for alternative injection sites?

Thanks

[Ross]

I'd be thinking of going subQ with 7-10 ccs of penG

[Ross]

And dexamethasone

[Callieslamb]

I sub Q behind the front leg where there's no wool.

[mariaricarto]

The website for the Durvet Penicillin Procaine G says 1cc/100lbs intramuscular. It specifically says not to do it sub-q.

[finnsheep]

Originally Posted by mariaricarto

The website for the Durvet Penicillin Procaine G says 1cc/100lbs intramuscular. It specifically says not to do it sub-q.

Those doses are kept minimal because of withdrawal periods, which you do not need to worry about if you aren't planning on eating her soon. 1/2 mL is nowhere near enough, I agree. And I am thinking it may need to be BID?

My vet says that it is perfectly fine to give PenG SQ. It is safer for tiny lambs with little muscle to begin with, but it can also be used with older animals.

You might want to see if your vet has a different opinion, but this is what works for me and my flock.

[mariaricarto]

Here is what the Durvet site says:

"DOSAGE: The dosage of cattle, sheep, swine, and horses is 3000 units per pound of body weight, or 1.0 mL for each 100 pounds of body weight once daily. Treatment should not exceed 7 days in non-lactating dairy and beef cattle, sheep, swine, or 5 days in lactating dairy cattle. If no improvement is observed within 48 hours, consult your veterinarian."

Anyway, I gave the injections as recommended by the drug company using various sites on the good thigh. Since she doesn't weigh 50 pounds the .5cc dose is over dosing but nowhere near the 7-10cc stated above. I'm wondering why there is such a big difference in dosing from knowledgable sheep people and the drug label instructions?

I talked to 2 vets about the lamb but they didn't know the dosage offhand.

The lamb is much better.

[Ross]

I'm wondering why there is such a big difference in dosing from knowledgable sheep people and the drug label instructions?

Because vets will tell you PenG has lost so much effectiveness that even double dosing is acceptable if following off label withdrawl times. You should take information from here and discuss it with your vet if you're not familiar with what you're reading. Ultimately you always need a vet.