# Tetanus Antitoxin given to foals



## cherylsminis (Apr 12, 2006)

Could some of you please tell me if you give your foals a Tetanus Antitoxin shot right after they are born and if so, how many ml. Thanks!


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## Reble (Apr 12, 2006)

Yes, to the foal and the mare.

My foal kit has Tetanus Antitoxin, Viatamin E and 2 shots of Penicilan.

Cannot tell you off hand. comes in a vile.

Need to get another one on hand.





: :saludando:


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## Robin1 (Apr 12, 2006)

Yes, to all the foals. Use one vial per foal. The ml depends on what brand you get. Most equal approximately 6 ml. However , I just got a couple from my vet that were only 3 ml.

Robin


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## rabbitsfizz (Apr 12, 2006)

I STRONGLY suggest you , and everyone else, does a LOT of research on this subject before routinely vaccinating foals for tetanus.

You can prevent them taking up full immunity.

Talk to your Vet, do research on line- I have read a lot on this over the last three months.

My horse was fully vaccinated BUT he still got Tetanus and died.

He had been fully vaccinated since he was ten months old, and the current suggestion is that animals are not given any primary injections until they are over eighteen months- and Yes, I was surprised too.

I am not a Vet so I will not attempt to explain further but I do urge you to keep an open mind and to do the research for yourself- it might save your horses life.

If you just have one or two horses, and can afford it, the most strongly recommended route was to have an immunity test done before you vaccinate and then again afterwards.


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## Mona (Apr 13, 2006)

Yes, I give every one of my newborn foals a Tetnus Antitoxin shot. I believe the shot I use, is 3ml. They come in individual shot size vials, so I never have to measure.


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## CKC (Apr 13, 2006)

Our vet gave it to our colt the day he was born.


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## WeeOkie (Apr 13, 2006)

Here's the other side! I do not give my foals any shots shortly after birth. I give my mares their annual shots, which includes tetanus, at 9 months gestation. Then the mare passes on the antibodies to the foal in the colostrum. My vet says there is absolutely no reason to give the foal the antitoxin.

Rita


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## stormy (Apr 13, 2006)

Please remember there is a differance between Tetanus antitoxin and tetanus toxoid vaccination. Foals should recieve Tetanus Antitoxin at birth under a veterinarians recommendation. The antibodies in mares milk interfer with vaccines in many cases so tetanus toxoid vaccine may not work on a young foal. Antitoxin is NOT a vaccine, it gives NO long term protection. Talk to your vet to work out what is best for your situation.


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## zacharyfarms (Apr 13, 2006)

I only give tetanus antitoxin to foals when their dams did not receive their prefoaling vacs that include tetanus toxoid 4 to 6 weeks prior to foaling.


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## CJMM6 (Apr 13, 2006)

I give tetanus antitox to all of our foals within 24 hours. And yes our horses all have their yearly

4 way shots. cjmm


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## Becky (Apr 13, 2006)

No, I do not give tetanus antitoxin. If the mares have been fully vaccinated, then they should pass immunity on to their foals through their colostrum.


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## Field-of-Dreams (Apr 13, 2006)

Our Vet had us give 1/2cc to our foals.

Lucy


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## Reijel's Mom (May 23, 2008)

Thought I'd bring up this older topic again. Seems that this is one of those things where different vets recommend different things, and internet research recommends different things . I hadn't planned on giving the antitoxin but my vet recommended it and I decided to follow doctor's orders, he's been a horse vet for eons. He unfortunately could not administer it as I called him when he just happend to be near by and he stopped in to check on my newborn filly and momma today, but he didn't have his supplies with him (long story, his truck broke down and was in shop) so he called it in to the local clinic where I picked it up and was to administer it - he recommended subcutaneous in the neck, but said I couldn't really go wrong because it's one of those things that can also be given IM or IV. I called another clinic and they recommended IM in the thigh/butt muscle area.

Where does everyone else give it? I've given IM shots to my adult horses, and subcutaneous to cats/dogs, but I've never given a shot to a bitty baby like this.


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## Mona (May 23, 2008)

I always give it before the foal even stands, just right after it is born. I pull up a piece of skin off to the right side of the neck, near the shoulder, and I insert the needle horizontally under the skin and inject it there. There will be a "bubble" there for a bit, but it has worked well for me all these years. The only drawback I have found, is that sometimes if I let the skin back down, I end up poking the needle back through the skin and some of the injection runs out. But now I know to watch for it, so have solved that one.


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## Reijel's Mom (May 23, 2008)

Mona said:


> I always give it before the foal even stands, just right after it is born.



Now that is a GREAT idea, thanks for the tip! Too late for this one but I will definitely file that one in my memory bank. Sure would be the easiest way to do it.


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## Mona (May 23, 2008)

Yes, I found it to be easiest that way, and I don't have to fight the foal to give the shot, since they are still kind of dumbfounded about their new arrival into the world!


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## Cathy_H (May 23, 2008)

We had been giving it since we've been breeing in the mid 80's. In the last few years our vet suggested not giving it because it has been known to cause liver problems. I told him our mare had been vaccinated two months prior to foaling & he said the foal still would be fine..... I do know one of our fillies that went to California years ago died from liver problems so was the antitoxen shot the reason? Who knows?


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## minie812 (May 23, 2008)

MMMMM...Our vet said if the mares have had all their vac. that it would be passed on thru the milk so we don't do it


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## Reijel's Mom (May 23, 2008)

Cathy_H said:


> We had been giving it since we've been breeing in the mid 80's. In the last few years our vet suggested not giving it because it has been known to cause liver problems. I told him our mare had been vaccinated two months prior to foaling & he said the foal still would be fine..... I do know one of our fillies that went to California years ago died from liver problems so was the antitoxen shot the reason? Who knows?



I'd read about that, which is why I hadn't planned to give it. But vet said do so I did. Afraid he would give me an earful if I had to call him out if the baby got ill and I hadn't given it. My mare is utd on her vax.


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## Matt73 (May 23, 2008)

zacharyfarms said:


> I only give tetanus antitoxin to foals when their dams did not receive their prefoaling vacs that include tetanus toxoid 4 to 6 weeks prior to foaling.



Ditto.


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## wiccanz (May 23, 2008)

Mare is given vax 4-6 weeks prior to foaling, foal given one at 3 months. No problems to date.


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## Nathan Luszcz (May 23, 2008)

I've foaled hundreds of mares and none of them have ever needed tetnus. They get the normal vaccine four weeks pre-foaling.


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## disneyhorse (May 23, 2008)

I haven't heard this, neither of my vets have done this. But, mares are vaccinated with Tetanus one month before foaling so I think that covers the both of them. They always ask during the 12 hour checkup, so I assume they would give the antitoxin if I hadn't vaccinated my mares properly.

Andrea


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## Mona (May 24, 2008)

Well I guess that is why I do mine differently. I do not vaccinate just before foaling. They are vaccinated once a year, usually in June, and foals are born in April and May. I don't like vaccinating late in pregnancy. I know it is way off on how most of you do yours, but it works for me, and "if it ain;t broke, don't fix it".


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## wildoak (May 24, 2008)

I routinely vaccinate mares 4-6 weeks prior also, but I have one mare who slipped through the cracks this year...in other words I just flat forgot to vaccinate her OH! so will be doing the tetanus antitox on this foal any day now.

Jan


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## joyenes (May 24, 2008)

> "Well I guess that is why I do mine differently. I do not vaccinate just before foaling. They are vaccinated once a year, usually in June, and foals are born in April and May. I don't like vaccinating late in pregnancy. I know it is way off on how most of you do yours, but it works for me, and "if it ain;t broke, don't fix it". "



This is exactly how I do it to Mona so you are not alone



.My foals are born in April usually and I don't vaccinate my herd until May/June. So my mare and foals have always gotten the tetnus antitoxin at birth.It provides a quick immunity to tetnus.It doesn't last long but I have always felt when a foal is born and the cord is exposed this shot is a good idea.It will do no harm(I've been doing this practice for 25 years) and that extra boost to their immunity makes me feel they are covered.I believe mine comes in a 3ml dose.This is just my opionion and I believe everyone has the right to do as they feel is best for their own horses.


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