Giving a snake a shot :(

[thelivingoddity]

I took Seamus to the vet on Friday because I was concerned about a couple of sneezes and other odd behaviors. Apparently he looks really healthy, but the sneezes are a concern so now he is on antibiotics... Which means I have to give him a shot every three days for a total of seven shots :( Two down so far, five to go... Unfortunately I'm too much of a wimp to do it (I hate the thought of putting a needle into my baby!!) so I had to make my mom, an ex-army medic, do it XD I was holding him, and I had the syringe, bevel-side up, I was gonna slide it under the scale... But I'm just a chicken.

Can anyone share some advice on how not to be terrified of giving your snake a shot? Or any animal, for that matter? I know it's for his own good but I still feel bad... That aside, I think it's really useful to be good at giving my guy the care he needs.

Thanks everyone in advance for the advice :)

[Tavia]

Sorry, can't help you there. When my garter snake had to be given shots for an infection, I also got my Mom to do it, I was more terrified of the needle, she was more terrified of not holding her properly and having her jerk and impale herself. Worked out well. But here's to the awesome snake shot giving Moms in our life! :cheers:

[Hillybean]

I haven't ever gave a reptile a shot..but I have gave several other mammals and birds shots. Including the following dogs, cat, rats, g-pigs, squirrels, rabbits, ferrets, etc. and then many birds (pigeons, starlings, and domestics).

Giving shots does get easy the more you do it. Some vets will allow a vet tech to assist you, until you get use to doing it. An animal rehabilitator might also be able to help you.

I always focus on the fact that they NEED the shot, and it normally helps calm my nerves, because the down side to me not doing it could mean death of the animal.

If you wondering why I have gave so many shots..I have owned a large variety of pets and most have required them at one time or another, shelter volenteer work, had to for hands on portion of my pre-vet school, and my animal rehabilitator training.

Just do a count down of the shots each (like four more to go!), and once they are done your pet should be better :).

[thelivingoddity]

Thanks so much for the advice! Wow, I always thought it would be really awesome to be an animal rehabilitator-- you do great work! :D

I'm hoping that I'll be able to take a deep breath and give him the shot myself next time... I'm 19 and he's 3, and I plan on having him for AT LEAST the next twelve years... I really need to learn how to do this for when I DON'T live with my mom lol! The sad part is that he's really good about it-- he didn't really squirm around or even seem to notice... I was in tears about the ordeal and he didn't even seem to care... Go figure :P

[Destarte]

I hope I never have to give my babies shots. I think I'd freak out as well! They're all still really small... That's probably why I'm so freaked out by it.

[Susan]

I've been a certified veterinary technician for the past 28 years so giving injections to animals is almost instinctual now. Practice does make perfect and I highly recommend anyone that owns a pet of any kind get lots of practice administering oral medications as well as injectable ones. Since you have the used syringes for your snake, you can use those to practice with. Get an orange, a cup of water to refill your syringe with and simply inject the orange with the water until you feel comfortable doing it. Remember you don't have to "bury the needle", just insert it far enough to get to the part you want (just under the skin or into the muscle). Always insert needles at a 45 degree angle and for your snake, remember that his muscle layer is only so thick and some medications are nephrotoxic (hurts the kidneys) so they must be injected in such a place as to reduce the potential damage. Your vet can tell you if the antibiotic you're using is one you have to be careful with.

[Nanci]

The only reptile I've had to give shots to was a box turtle. So you have to extend the front leg and give the shot in the big muscle. Then the turtle goes limping away- so pitiful! Then the next day you do the other leg.

[thelivingoddity]

I am definitely going to get an orange and practice... Thank goodness my snake is 3 years old and not tiny anymore! I'd be even MORE upset if he was just a little guy o.o The shot just goes into the muscle, on the first half of his body where he just starts to get thicker (so the meds don't go to his kidneys). The shot goes on one side of his spine, so we're changing up which side so he doesn't get sore! He's due for his next shot Thursday... hopefully I can post that I was able to do it!!

[Tavia]

I love the orange idea! I'll have to do that too. Yeah, Tikki the garter snake was 8" and 3 grams when she got the infection, it is not fun giving a snake that small a shot!

[schnebbles]

So snakes can sneeze? I had no idea. Good luck with shots. I gave my ex-husband shots, it was fun, lol!!! I'm kidding, but I did have to give him some stomach shots but they were easy. I put a big needle into a puppy years ago to hydrate him bc he had parvo, so I just put it in the scruff of his neck. It's hard enough to give medicine to my cat, let alone a shot to a snake.

[Destarte]

Yes, the sneezing would indicate a cold/virus/infection. Such as URI. :(

[Tavia]

Sometimes a snake's nostrils will swell before shedding, causing it to wheeze or sneeze, as well. That is not a problem but wheezing or sneezing is a major symptom of serious problems as was said. So it's not always an indication of trouble but is something to watch out for.

[bitsy]

If it's just wheezing/sneezing, then it's most likely shed-related (the shed loosens around the snout and nostrils first, causing irritation). A respiratory infection would have other symptoms as well. Was he tested for an infection?

[Destarte]

I really need to donate so I can edit. I was more focused on a reason the snake might have to have shots, rather than listing all the reasons sneezing/wheezing could occur.

[Tavia]

Yes, I understood that too. I just know that the first time one of my snakes started wheezing from a shed, the male garter that came with the female with the infection and about a month after they arrived, while the female was still fighting off her infection, my first panicked thought was URI. I was really freaked until I read that it can sometimes happen when they shed and I knew he was in the middle of a shed. Since there are a number of newer people reading and participating in the discussion, I thought that would be good to bring out as well so they don't have a heart attack the first time they hear their snake wheeze.

[Destarte]

Yeah, I freaked out the first time I heard my anery wheeze lol.

[thelivingoddity]

Yeah, Tikki the garter snake was 8" and 3 grams when she got the infection, it is not fun giving a snake that small a shot!

Oh my gob that would TERRIFY me O.O Your mom is a brave, brave woman!

So snakes can sneeze?

Apparently they can :( I won't lie to you, though... It's pretty adorable when they do. It's a tiny, tiny little sneeze c: He actually only sneezed maybe 5 times in the span of two months, but then he started sitting with his head raised and opening his mouth wide for no reason, and so I figured it was time for a vet visit. They said that his mouth looked great and he's super healthy (and beautiful :)) but they still prescribed him antibiotics, and I'm glad they did. I want my guy as healthy as can be!

I felt bad, though, because I told them he was a boy (this was his first vet visit in my care) but they took him in the back and probed him anyway, and when they brought him back he wrapped himself around my neck and shoulders, and tangled himself in my hair to make it far harder for them to take him away from me again lol! He did not enjoy being probed, poor guy!

[thelivingoddity]

If it's just wheezing/sneezing, then it's most likely shed-related (the shed loosens around the snout and nostrils first, causing irritation). A respiratory infection would have other symptoms as well. Was he tested for an infection?

The thing that gave it away as an infection was the fact that he had just shed a couple weeks ago and isn't due to shed again for quite some time. So that, with the sneezes, and the odd mouth gaping and sitting with his head raised lead the vets to the conclusion that he has the early symptoms of a URI. The blood work was $130, and since I wasn't paying and the vets were dead set on giving me the antibiotics anyway, with or without the blood work, I decided not to anger my parents any further by opting for the most expensive option (I had to twist their arms to get them to take Seamus to the vet as it is).

[schnebbles]

What is URI? urinary infection?

[Destarte]

Upper Respiratory Infection.

[lumene]

Giving shots to snakes? Been around that bend more than once, and I hadn't even started college at that point.

Hope he gets over his URI.

[thelivingoddity]

Hope he gets over his URI.

Thanks! He does seem to be doing better already :)

[anerybree]

I had to petsit a dog once, and he needed allergy shots. I was 14, well on my way to becoming an exotic pet veterinarian! It was fine, although one time he moved the needle got in my skin like half a millimeter. I freaked out, but nothing happened and I was okay!

I could not imagine giving my poor snake a shot! And although I feel bad for your snake, livinggoddity, I kind of laughed at the description of him hiding in your hair after being probed!

[thelivingoddity]

I could not imagine giving my poor snake a shot! And although I feel bad for your snake, livinggoddity, I kind of laughed at the description of him hiding in your hair after being probed!

I feel bad but I laughed too at the time XD It was really sad to see but at the same time it was kind of heartwarming that he wanted me to comfort him ^_^

I think I might have an easier time giving any of my dogs a shot... I think the thing that REALLY got me with my snake is that the needle looked so big in comparison to his little body! At least dogs are sort of like people (lol, yes, I'm one of those people that anthropomorphize their pets... XD)

[thelivingoddity]

I DID IT! I GAVE MY SNAKE A SHOT--MYSELF!! :D

[Tavia]

Yay! Congrats!

[Destarte]

Yay! Glad you could do it!

[anerybree]

Very good!! Was it hard?

[thelivingoddity]

It was kind of challenging, mostly because snakes are so very very muscular. Once I put the needle in, he flexed his muscles which made it difficult to keep the syringe in. So basically, aim (under the scale, upper half of the body, to one side of the spine) and speed are essential. I think I'll get a lot better in the next few times I have to do it! Now that I'm over my initial terror and guilt about having to put a needle in my snake :(