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Perhaps the most important thing to remember about syringe measurement is .. 1 CC = 1 ml. What Is A Syringe? This is a typical syringe (Tuberculin, 1 CC):  Click For Enlarged View Note that the above syringe is set to . 5 ml (1/2 CC). Below is a "close up".  Click For Enlarged View 1/2 ml = 1/2 CC = . 5 ml as shown, above. Measuring With A Syringe Notice the graduation lines between the .10 and .20 lines, the .20 and .30 lines, and so on up to 1.0 CC. Enlarge the photo above, if necessary. This allows even more accurate measurement. These smaller graduations between the tenths are one-hundredth marks. For example ... The . 5 ml (5 tenths - half a CC or ml) measurement above should, obviously, never be confused with a . 05 (5 hundredths - half a tenth of a CC or ml) measurement pictured below.  Click For Enlarged View Just to emphasize (see photo below) ... a measurement of . 12 ml would be to the large mark of .10 (1/10) plus two smaller graduation lines. Some people think of a syringe as only marked in hundredths to avoid confusion. That would make .12 ml the same as "twelve little lines".  Click For Enlarged View A measurement of 1.2 ml is not the same - notice the decimal point. 1.2 ml would have to be done in two steps - a full CC plus two tenths of another CC measure. See the difference? Operating A Syringe Operating a syringe is quite easy. Simply lower the "nose" into a liquid and, while keeping the "nose" in the liquid, slightly pull back on the plunger to begin to fill the barrel. Always fill the barrel to some point more than the measurement desired. At that point, remove the syringe from the liquid and draw back on the plunger just a bit more. This action will draw any excess liquid around the nose into the syringe (less chance of dripping). Any air in the syringe will distort your measurement, so turn the syringe to point the nose upward and allow any and all air bubbles to rise to the nose. You may have to lightly tap the syringe barrel to "loosen" a bubble. After separating the air bubbles, carefully press the plunger upward - pushing the air out of the syringe until only liquid is in the barrel. At that point, make a note of the measurement desired and lower the nose to the opening of the original container. With care, again, press the plunger - allowing excess liquid to drip from the syring - until the plunger tip reaches the desired measurement. If any liquid "hangs on" as a drop at the tip of the syringe nose, wipe it into the container for a more accurate measurement. This completes the procedure. Cleaning A Syringe You always want to clean a syringe after measuring anything. Any residue left to dry in the barrel (of most any liquid) may cause the plunger to stick and be torn when you try to loosen it. At the very least, you will have a less-than-accurate measure if the build-up is allowed. Simply repeat the filling procedure above - without the accuracy - with tepid, never hot, water. Fill the barrel and exhaust the water a few times. To allow the syringe to dry, you may either separate the plunger from the barrel or (usually) you may leave the plunger in the syringe. If you choose to leave the plunger/syringe intact, do not leave the plunger completely flush to the "zero" mark. Pull the plunger back a few hundredths so it does not try to "glue" itself to the barrel face. Obtaining Syringes This is not really too hard for an honest pet owner -- it's made intentionally hard for drug users. If you're considering Vanodine as a cleaner, odds are you're on a first-name basis with your vet. Simply ask him/her for a couple or three syringes, but specifically ask for syringes for measurement (without needles). |
