How to give a sub-conjunctival injection
Step 1: Prepare your patient
Sedation
Auricuopalpebral block
Frontal block
Head support and / or reliable handler
Step 2: Anaesthetise the site of injection
Single drop prxoymetacaine ventral fornix - it will fill the lacrimal lake
Blink the upper lids to cover the cornea
Wait 30secs
Spray cornea with proxymetacaine using a 1 ml syringe with the needle snapped off
Apply a proxymetacaine soaked sterile cotton bud to the site of injection/s
Secure in place with upper or lower lid as required.
Leave for 30-60 seconds.
Gently rotate cotton tip to ensure good anaesthesia before removing.
Step 3: Perform injection
Use an insulin needle with the smallest available needle (27-30g).
Ensure horses head is held steady by a reliable handler.
Rest side of hand on face to steady.
Hold the needle perpendicular to the sclera at the point of injection.
Bevel up place the needle against the conjunctiva to ensure anaethetised.
Gently push tip needle against conjucntiva until penetrates 1-2mm.
Slowly inject 0.1ml - there should be no resistance and the conjunctiva should balloon.
Once you have a small conjunctival bleb you can continue to inject the rest of the dose.