INTRAMUSCULAR VS INTERMUSCULAR INJECTIONS IN SWINE

In order to determine the exact localization (intra- vs intermuscular) in which a drug is injected when administered by a so-called intramus cular injection technique, a radiopaque test article (2 ml) was inject ed into the cervical musculature (2 sites), the loins and the gluteal mass in anaesthesized pigs. Immediately after this, the pigs were euth anized and deep-frozen. Then they were cut into slices, which were X-r ayed to determine the exact localization of the test material. Semi-qu antitative scores were given to each injection site according to the a mount of test article found in or out of muscle mass and also to the a bsence or the presence of test article subcutaneously. The loins area obtained the highest score for intramuscular location, but in this sit e, injections were almost always followed by a flowing back of the tes t article to the subcutaneous area. It was shown that an injection in the neck perpendicular to the skin surface just behind the base of the ear was the most appropriate site for intramuscular injection in pigs .