# syringes and needles



## gwithrow (Feb 5, 2005)

what size needles do you use for calves and cows? and does anyone reuse the syringes? can they be washed and reused? I know they are 'disposable', but it seems sad to just throw them away...I do not reuse needles at all...they get recapped and thrown out, but I was wondering about the syringe part....


----------



## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

I reuse every syringe I can. Mainly used to worm the dairy goats. They are so handy for all sorts of situations. Granted they are cheap, but when you really need one it's nice to see some on standby, new or used...I re-use needles to, just depends if they were used to extract liquids from a vial or actually stuck into a animal. The ones that hit a animal's skin go in the trash. Topside


----------



## Karin L (Oct 5, 2006)

Since I work at the vet clinic, I can give you a pretty good guess of what to use. My boss usually uses 18 guage 1" or 18-1 1/2" needles, 16 and 14 guage on calves and cows.

If you want to reuse syringes you have to wash them thoroughly and disinfect them after use. Hot water and alcohol is your best bet since you wouldn't have an autoclaver to put them through. The metal/glass syringes are good to use because they can be reused, so long as you remember to wash them well between using meds. 

When we had steers my DF would reuse needles, but he made very sure that he cleaned them up well. But now with today's health concerns for both animal and human, it is a wise idea to not reuse needles, so good on you, GWR.


----------



## DairyGoatSlave (Dec 27, 2008)

I wash my syringes out and then label them and use it for the same med.


----------



## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

It is just me, but I would never reuse a needle or syringe for an injection. I do keep some used syringes for oral use. Would you want your doctor to use the syringe he used on your neighbor?


----------



## barngirl (Aug 16, 2009)

> Would you want your doctor to use the syringe he used on your neighbor?


 No, but it's a little differant with animals vs. humans!

I always cap the needle and pitch that. I thoroughly wash the syringes with rubbing alchol and re-use them~


----------



## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

It depends on what I'm injecting as to what length/guague needle I use, and yes I do re-use the needle in some cases. If I'm injecting 70 sheep I am not going to be using 70 needles to do the job. If I'm giving copper to 6 calves I will use the same needle but it goes in the rubbish after that. If I'm having to inject large numbers of animals such as vaccinating sheep, I will use several needles and put those I'm not using into meths. 

I also re-use the syringes and they can be boiled, even the disposable ones but don't overdo it as they can melt down in your best stainless steel pot

Cheers,
Ronnie


----------



## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Call me the odd one out here, but I reuse both syringes and needles all the time. I always rinse them in very hot water and suck some rubbing alchohol through them after use and then lay them out in the kitchen window seal to dry. I haven't had a case of giving an animal meds go bad yet doing it that way and I've been doing it for years. 

The only time I don't reuse is when I'm treating a critter for some "mystery" illness that I'm sure of and am throwing some last chance penicilan or antibiotic at it before it goes down. Otherwise, if I'm giving multible shots of the same med to the same herd, the needles and syringes get reused. I figure they're all in the pasture together licking each other, sniffing cracks and pee, why not let them share a needle?


----------



## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Ronney said:


> ....they can be boiled, even the disposable ones but don't overdo it as they can melt down in your best stainless steel pot


I'm just guessing there's a story behind this, ay Ronnie?


----------



## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

tyusclan said:


> I'm just guessing there's a story behind this, ay Ronnie?


Your so right Ty I put them on to boil and thought that while they were coming to the boil I'd nip out and hang the washing on the line. Did that then heard a calf bellowing so marched off to see what the problem was - nothing as it turned out. On the way back I got sidetracked into picking up branches that had come down in the last wind and by this stage I'd completely forgotten about the syringes boiling away in the pot. Got back to the house and had to pass my ute so decided to clean out all the rubbish that had gathered in it, empty the ashtray, shake out the mats etc. Sauntered inside, washed my hands and started up the stairs to be met by this most peculiar smell. Clang! 2 hours later I had 3 syringes melted to the bottom of the pot It took weeks to get the plastic off the bottom.


----------



## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

We reuse both all the time as well. Try to reuse the syringes for the same meds, but also clean them after each use. Needles get cleaned and reused in the same manner. And that is just for the antibiotics. For vaccinations, and dewormer, they go through an automatic syringe that holds 50 cc, I sure don't change needles on that between each animal. Only change needles when it gets bent or dull. When you're running 100+ head down the chute, time counts, and it would just add more stress to everyone by having to change needles and syringes between each animal. That's why they make those automatic syringes......


----------



## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Ronney said:


> Your so right Ty I put them on to boil and thought that while they were coming to the boil I'd nip out and hang the washing on the line. Did that then heard a calf bellowing so marched off to see what the problem was - nothing as it turned out. On the way back I got sidetracked into picking up branches that had come down in the last wind and by this stage I'd completely forgotten about the syringes boiling away in the pot. Got back to the house and had to pass my ute so decided to clean out all the rubbish that had gathered in it, empty the ashtray, shake out the mats etc. Sauntered inside, washed my hands and started up the stairs to be met by this most peculiar smell. Clang! 2 hours later I had 3 syringes melted to the bottom of the pot It took weeks to get the plastic off the bottom.


Yep, that would put a kink in an otherwise lovely day, for sure.


----------

