Antiviral vaccines difficult to administer

[annmariemz23]

We have noticed that the antiviral vaccines are difficult to administer unless using the kind of syringe that you plug into the bottle when vaccinating a large number of animals. If you only have a few to vaccinate and try to use a normal syringe, the liquid requires a great deal of pressure to depress the plunger. Has anyone else solved this problem? The large syringe broke the other day while vaccinating cattle, and I just had to quit even giving that vaccine because I couldn't depress the plunger on the syringe.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Sounds like you weren't fully penetrating the hide, or you had way to small of needle. What vaccine was this? I haven't had that any thicker than water. If you were giving LA 200, I could see why you were having some problems.

 

[kenny thomas]

Following the instructions on using the correct needle size it the first thing I would look at.

 

[TCRanch]

I've never had a problem and I use disposable needles & syringes - generally 18x1 for vaccines, 16 gauge if it's anything viscous. The exception is if I use a mod live when working calves or If I'm treating a single cow/calf/bull and need to give multiple injections, I'll sometimes use a repeater syringe. You most likely either didn't penetrate the hide or hit the muscle while trying to give SQ.

 

[annmariemz23]

The 8-way vaccines with clostridium aren't a problem, and the respiratory vaccines didn't used to be a problem. This time, it got all over my hands when the bottle leaked, and it is oily. I use a 16 needle, and if the needle is sharp, that is, used on fewer than 8 animals, it penetrates fine. It is the plunger in the syringe that is the problem. For the first few doses it is fine. But after that, it is as though the vaccine deteriorates the rubber in the syringe or something. I finally finished the vaccinating successfully the second day by changing the 35 cc syringes every time I emptied one. (One syringe delivers 7 doses at 5cc/dose.) So now I am curious. If the vaccine is deteriorating the rubber or plastic in the syringe, it doesn't seem like a good thing to have it going in to your cattle.

Also, we all tried it. We used SQ techniques, (pulling up on the hide when injecting) as well as rapid techniques (coming in from the top in a squeeze chute that is not well designed for vaccinating) Once the syringe started resisting, none of us could get it to work easily. Those with the strongest hands ended up giving the vaccinations.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

So what was the vaccine brand and name?

 

[TCRanch]

if the needle is sharp, that is, used on fewer than 8 animals, it penetrates fine.

Well, there's that. Disposable needles are cheap and it takes a few seconds to switch them out.

How do you clean your syringes (repeater)? Any cleansers can deteriorate the rubber gasket over time. Boiling water and replace the gasket periodically. Also, make sure there aren't any cracks in the syringe. I wouldn't think it has anything to do with the vaccine.

 

[Texas G@l]

The gasket may need some lubricant. Be sure to check manufacture instructions regarding type of lubricant to use.

 

[suzorse]

I have never had a problem with disposable syringes and needles , change out needle between cows , or use 1 per cow , filled and ready , only time I have had a hard time was with to small of a gage and with an antibiotic like Nuflor or Draxin , thick and oily

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Alpha 7 is the thickest vaccine I use and it IS thick - almost as bad as penicillin. if you use a larger gauge needle I have actually seen it cut a tiny plug from the rubber stopper and clog itself that way but pretty rare. sticky syringes are usually from unlubricated o-rings or other rubber parts.

I use disposable syringes because they are cheap, sterile and most of all...don't have to clean them. you do get what you pay for, the cheapest needles tend to bend and break much worse than better quality/higher priced ones and same for the syringes...the cheapest ones tend to leak or have sticky rubber plungers.

For the Alpha I use a 12 cc and fill it to 10 cc then try to get enough ready for however many we are doing that day. so that is 5 animals on a syringe and toss. I use 10 dose bottles so I don't waste too much with bad counts, unless I know we will be doing more than 50 in a session. we also do tetanus when we band, and that is a particularly thin vaccine...the gauge needle to keep from leaking isn't great for hides on any but the youngest steers.

 

[annmariemz23]

So what was the vaccine brand and name?

Virashield 6L5 HB

 

[annmariemz23]

Well, there's that. Disposable needles are cheap and it takes a few seconds to switch them out.

How do you clean your syringes (repeater)? Any cleansers can deteriorate the rubber gasket over time. Boiling water and replace the gasket periodically. Also, make sure there aren't any cracks in the syringe. I wouldn't think it has anything to do with the vaccine.

The repeater syringes aren't a problem at all. Only disposable ones. It is tedious to have to keep filling syringes when vaccinating 50 head.

 

[TCRanch]

The repeater syringes aren't a problem at all. Only disposable ones. It is tedious to have to keep filling syringes when vaccinating 50 head.

I got nuthin'. I use Vira Shield 6+VL5 HB. I have the disposable syringes/needles pre-filled for each head prior to working cattle and haven't had a problem but that one is also IM instead of SQ.

 

[moses388]

I got nuthin'. I use Vira Shield 6+VL5 HB. I have the disposable syringes/needles pre-filled for each head prior to working cattle and haven't had a problem but that one is also IM instead of SQ.

Are you sure? Vira Shield products appear to be SQ, unless they contain somnus. e.g. Vira Shield 4+VL5 is SQ, but Vira Shield 6+VL5 HB Somnus is IM.

 

[simme]

Two other people have already mentioned "not fully penetrating the hide". That is my guess as well. If you hold the syringe too parallel to the skin when you stick them, the end of the needle may still be in the hide. That situation will require a very large force and maybe less than ideal vaccination. Since you don't have the problem with a repeater syringe, maybe you are inserting at a different angle since you obviously hold a repeater syringe different than a "normal" one. If you are using a short needle (less than 1"), the possibility of not getting through the hide is greater with a slight angle.

 

[TCRanch]

Are you sure? Vira Shield products appear to be SQ, unless they contain somnus. e.g. Vira Shield 4+VL5 is SQ, but Vira Shield 6+VL5 HB Somnus is IM.

My bad. I use the one with Somnus:
DIRECTIONS: Shake well before using. Administer 5 mL intramuscularly in the neck 2 to 4 weeks prior to breeding. Revaccinate with Vira Shield 6 + L5HB Somnus (Code 44D7.22) in 4 to 5 weeks. Historically, annual revaccination has been recommended for this product. The need for this booster has not been established. For advice on revaccination frequency consultation with a veterinarian is recommended.

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