Crazy mishap while giving IM injection

[evans36]

OK, so I was giving my gelding his weekly glucosamine IM shot yesterday and the oddest thing happened. (Just to note - I do this every week. I did not do anything differently and have never had a problem before.) It's a 5cc shot and I was giving it in the neck. As I pushed the plunger in, suddenly the syringe somehow became disconnected from the needle and everything sprayed back toward my face. It all happened so quickly that honestly I don't really know what happened. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? Any insights as to why it could have happened? I didn't do anything differently and I've been giving IM injections for years and have never had this problem.

Also, when I went to draw a second shot (I think about half the meds got inside him before this mess happened, so I was going to give him another 1/2 dose), I changed the needle but not the syringe. The thing would only draw out 2 cc then nothing but air in the syringe. I wasn't drawing air out of the bottle - the thing was almost full. I am really perplexed by this. Anyone have any answers?

[BuddyRoo]

Situation #1: Use a leur lock and it won't get disconnected...but do you normally draw out to check that you're not in a vein first? Sounds to me like your needle was blocked. Was it a new needle?

Situation #2: As we draw out of vials like that, it creates a vacuum unless you pump air in. Pumping air in with anything less than sterile equipment can be a recipe for problems (bacteria growth and such).

Just some guesses for you.

[TinkerBells]

Situation #1: Use a leur lock and it won't get disconnected...but do you normally draw out to check that you're not in a vein first? Sounds to me like your needle was blocked. Was it a new needle?

Situation #2: As we draw out of vials like that, it creates a vacuum unless you pump air in. Pumping air in with anything less than sterile equipment can be a recipe for problems (bacteria growth and such).

Just some guesses for you.

Ditto.

[evans36]

It's a monoject syringe... pretty sure it is a luer lock but I'll check the box. I did pull back to make sure I wasn't in a vein first... passed that test. It was a new needle. I usually draw the meds out with one needle then put on a fresh needle for the injection. The only thing I can think of that changed are the needles - it's a new box and they're poly hub instead of aluminum, which is what I normally use but I bought this box online from a place that didn't sell aluminum hubs in 1.5"x20.

[Simkie]

I use luer lock and MAKE SURE THE NEEDLE IS SCREWED ALL THE WAY DOWN before injecting something as thick as Adequan (I assume your injectible glucosamine is similar.)

I have had the needle blow off the syringe when I did not make sure the needle was screwed all the way down.

[Laurierace]

I had that happen with progesterone once. It was in oil so it was really thick and I guess I just pushed too hard. It sprayed all over my face. It was more than a little embarassing to call my vet and ask if I was going to have problems from it spraying all over my face like I would if I came in contact with regumate.
The weirdest thing that ever happened to me was I was giving something, I can't remember what and it was going in slow so I pulled back to double check that I hadn't hit anything and that the needle was clear and all of what I had injected came back into the syringe! Very weird.

[evans36]

also, about the vaccuum principle - some air has to get in everytime you draw that wasn't already in the bottle, or else the bottle would implode. I did use a new needle to draw the second time, and I did not put the 2 cc that did draw back in the bottle to avoid contamination. However, I'm not really sure that I see how contamination of the liquid drug would impede the syringe/needle/vial apparatus from working correctly. It should draw down just the same if it's contaminated, uncontaminated, or water, assuming that it's liquid, right?

[evans36]

Laurierace - that is really weird. But I guess thinking about it the medicine we put into the muscle probably sits there to be absorbed for a minute...

Simkie - I thought I had put the needle all the way on... but I know that from now on I will be 100% sure. I am just glad my horse took the surprise way better than I did!

[foggybok]

OK, so I was giving my gelding his weekly glucosamine IM shot yesterday and the oddest thing happened. (Just to note - I do this every week. I did not do anything differently and have never had a problem before.) It's a 5cc shot and I was giving it in the neck. As I pushed the plunger in, suddenly the syringe somehow became disconnected from the needle and everything sprayed back toward my face. It all happened so quickly that honestly I don't really know what happened. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? Any insights as to why it could have happened? I didn't do anything differently and I've been giving IM injections for years and have never had this problem.

Also, when I went to draw a second shot (I think about half the meds got inside him before this mess happened, so I was going to give him another 1/2 dose), I changed the needle but not the syringe. The thing would only draw out 2 cc then nothing but air in the syringe. I wasn't drawing air out of the bottle - the thing was almost full. I am really perplexed by this. Anyone have any answers?


Both problems could be caused by a poor seal on the syringe (between the hub and the syringe). In the first case, it wasn't sealed so came off. In the second case, the seal wasn't proper, so you were drawing air through the seal.

Could have been a bad syringe, or just not on tight...

[Simkie]

Simkie - I thought I had put the needle all the way on... but I know that from now on I will be 100% sure. I am just glad my horse took the surprise way better than I did!

After blowing $30 worth of Adequan, I check my syringes and needles about a half dozen times before I stick the horse! It's a mistake you only make once, I think ;)

[Soldier06]

I did the same thing the other day with a shot of Adequan. I only had 4 needles left, and two needed Adequan (and I wanted at least 1 needle on hand for emergencies, the TB would figure out there were no more needles and suddenly need a shot of something :lol:). The TB is the worlds best horse to give shots to so I didn't change the needle because he doesn't mind if it's a little more painful going in (well he probably does, but I had used all the needles for his Naxcel injections so such is life) whereas the other one has a heart attack every time and a duller needle would not have been appreciated.

I had about 2-3 cc's in when the syringe suddenly popped off the needle, and exploded everywhere. Again, thankfully it was the TB who didn't even blink and not the other one, I'd never be able to get near him again! I don't think the needle was on tight enough, and since it was duller he tensed up when it went in and created just enough resistance to make it pop. Lesson learned- always have extra needles. :yes:

[the_other_mother]

Just did the very same thing last week w/ Adequan. Fortunately I didnt waste too much, the needle didnt come all the way off. I guess I didnt have the needle on tightly. I wont make that mistake again. $$$

[evans36]

Glad to know it wasn't just me!! So... after you waste the $ on a busted injection, what then? Do you estimate and give a lower dose based on what you think actually went in, or do you just wait for next week? I don't think a teensy bit more glucosamine will hurt anything and at this point I'd rather spend the $ to give him an extra couple cc's than to have to load him back up again in dosage... I am thinking about calling the vet this evening to ask, unless there are some of you that have already done so and can tell me what you learned :)

[mhtokay]

if the syringe was draw up at an earlier date and sat in the 'fridge, or something, a tiny bit can dry in the syringe causing a blockage and forcing the syringe off the needle. been there, done that.