What Sizes Are Gauge Needles for Pet Vaccines?

Vaccinations are one very important way to help keep pets safe and healthy. Veterinarians recommend annual check-ups and vaccination boosters as part of a preventative health-care plan. Some pet owners may choose to administer certain boosters themselves, making it necessary to know which needle gauge is appropriate to use.

  1. Needle Gauges

    • Dosage and type of baccination determine what size needle is required.

      Needles are gauged in a variety of sizes and are designed for specific characteristics of the various serums. Needle sizes range from 4 to 30, and the lower the number the bigger the needle. Selecting the proper gauge depends upon the type of vaccination that will be administered, as well the size of dosage or syringe.

    Viscosity and Dosage

    • A more viscous solution would be thicker, requiring a larger needle gauge to allow the serum to pass through. This would call for a lower needle gauge number, as would larger vaccine dosages. Many farm animals receive larger doses of certain medications due to their size, For example, a 10cc syringe might be used also, calling for lower gauged needles. Most domestic pet vaccines are administered with a 1cc- to 3cc-sized syringe, and are typically not viscous.

    Intramuscular or Subcutaneous

    • Intramuscular vaccines are those that are administered into a particular muscle group. Rabies vaccinations are an example of an intramuscular variety and are generally given in the rear muscle. Subcutaneous vaccines are those given just under the skin and the most common place is in the scruff, or nape or the neck. If more than one subcutaneous vaccine is to be given at one time, a second location like the forelimb should be chosen.

    Pet Vaccines

    • Vaccines used for cats and dogs generally call for a 22 to 25 gauge needle. This is also the size used for most human vaccines as well. Larger farm animals with larger dosages and thicker skin will call for smaller numbered gauges. Pets that suffer from diabetes requiring daily injections of insulin call for much smaller needle gauges in order to be less traumatic.