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An IM shot can be given in the pectoral region of a horse, so long as the injection goes into the muscle mass and not into the bloodstream. Administer an intra-muscular injection into the horse's chest with helpful advice from a veterinarian in this video on caring for horses.
Hi! I'm Dr. Joanna Robson. I'm a doctor of veterinary medicine with Inspiritus Equine, Inc. I'd like to show you an alternative injection site which is giving an intra-muscular shot into the pectoral muscles of the horse. The pectorals are actually the chest muscles, there's two groups, one on each side. One of the advantages to giving an injection intra-muscularly into this area, is because of the risk of infection with giving any injection into the muscle, we're already at gravity's lowest point. If potentially we're going to develop a reaction or an abscess or hematoma, anything that requires drainage, we're already at the lowest point of the horse's body. Giving an IM injection into the neck or even into the rump of the horse can have complications, particularly if there is an infection, it can be take a lot longer to heal and be much more traumatic to the horse. Giving an IM injection in the pectorals is no different than giving an injection anywhere else on the body. Again, you can separate the needle from the syringe, or keep the needle attached to the syringe. Choose whichever side, left side or right side that you want for your injection and you're going to insert the needle right into the lowest point in the center of either of those muscle bellies. Most important thing when giving an intra-muscular injection, whether it's in the neck or into the pectoral muscles, after you've inserted your needle make sure to draw back on the plunger. If you get blood back into the hub, remove your syringe, replace your needle and re-inject. Intra-muscular injection should not be given into the blood stream. And that's how to give an injection into the pectoral muscles of your horse.
Specialty: Vetrinary Medicine
