The vet gave several horses their rabies shots last night. This morning I noticed one stallion was shivering, and just standing around. His temp was 101.4. I put him in a stall and gave him banamine. He ate his grain, some of his hay, and drank some water. He's sleeping alot. What should I do? I called my vet and she said a rabies shot wouldn't cause that. She thinks he probaby really was cold because when I got him his head and neck was shaved. I've had him for a week and he hadn't appeared cold any other time.
Have you had a horse react to rabies shot?
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Becky
Well-Known Member
I don't know about rabies, but I've recently vaccinated horses with the Merial Recombitek combo vaccine - EWT and WN. I've had a lot of reactions to it. Low fevers, lethargic, (although all are eating and drinking) and some injection site soreness. Lasted for a week. I like the fact of only giving one shot, but I am NOT liking the reactions.
Charlotte
Well-Known Member
I've had low grade fevers with shivering and lethargy for all kinds of vaccinations including rabies. And in a few cases very high fevers for as long as a week. It's my opinion that miniatures are more reactive to vaccinations than big horses are which stands to reason considering the size difference.
Charlotte
Charlotte
Sunrise Valley
Well-Known Member
Last year I had 7 of 10 horses spike fevers after recieving thier rabies shots. The vet said he would not be using that brand on minis again after our experience with it. We used banamine to reduce fever, and all felt better in a few days.
Every year I get my shots from the vet and give myself. I give my pregnant mares the ewt a couple of weeks to a month before delivery and then after delivery I give the Rhino and then a few days later the WN. Just the way I do things.
This year the vet said there was a mix up with the supplier and he had no plain ewt, only ewt w/rhino. Due to this I decided to order from Valley vet. While looking over what was avaiable and price I saw this new (to me anyway) shot. The shots I get from my vet are always Fort Dodge and like others, every year we have small reactions such as low fever or sore shot area but they go away in a couple of days. Nothing ever serious.
Anyway, last month while looking I saw this shot and the write up said protects against reactions, so I decided to try it. Now this is just my experience and I am not recommending, just stating how the shot worked on my 6 mares. After giving I didn't see any reactions of any type. Didn't seem to phase them in anyway.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cephalovac EWT (2-way S. Sickness + Tet)
(Boehringer Ingelheim) Updated protection against Eastern and Western encephalomyelitis and tetanus. New carbomer-based adjuvant system protects against reactions. Administer 1 ml IM to healthy horses 6 months of age or older. Administer a second dose in 3-4 weeks, using a different injection site. Revaccinate annually.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Just sharing.
To tie in with your question on rabies......I wasn't looking at rabies shots but perhaps the same company has a rabies shot. From what I have read the reactions have a lot to do with what adjuvant is used.
This year the vet said there was a mix up with the supplier and he had no plain ewt, only ewt w/rhino. Due to this I decided to order from Valley vet. While looking over what was avaiable and price I saw this new (to me anyway) shot. The shots I get from my vet are always Fort Dodge and like others, every year we have small reactions such as low fever or sore shot area but they go away in a couple of days. Nothing ever serious.
Anyway, last month while looking I saw this shot and the write up said protects against reactions, so I decided to try it. Now this is just my experience and I am not recommending, just stating how the shot worked on my 6 mares. After giving I didn't see any reactions of any type. Didn't seem to phase them in anyway.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cephalovac EWT (2-way S. Sickness + Tet)
(Boehringer Ingelheim) Updated protection against Eastern and Western encephalomyelitis and tetanus. New carbomer-based adjuvant system protects against reactions. Administer 1 ml IM to healthy horses 6 months of age or older. Administer a second dose in 3-4 weeks, using a different injection site. Revaccinate annually.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Just sharing.
To tie in with your question on rabies......I wasn't looking at rabies shots but perhaps the same company has a rabies shot. From what I have read the reactions have a lot to do with what adjuvant is used.
Last edited by a moderator:
Sunrise Valley
Well-Known Member
We gave banamine again after 12 hours if temp was still above 101.5
Knottymare
Well-Known Member
My vet doesn't either. I hate paying an extra farm call but hearing you say this, it makes me glad to. Thanks for sharing. I hope your horses are better quickly. Its so hard to see them feeling lousy.
Knottymare
Well-Known Member
Carolyn R
Well-Known Member
The only one I have had horses get flu like symptoms over has been the west nile (I always give it by itself). Even then it is hit and miss if some one gets achy, have only ever had it happen a less than a handful of times, each time to a different horse.
I would just keep him comfy, add liquids to his diet where ever you can as a precaution (wet mash, soaked hay...)keep an eye on his temp, gut sounds and manure output. I have never had a vaccine reaction last longer than about 36-48hours tops. I usually notice the reaction the morning after, treat with a dose of banamine and they are typically fine the next morning.
I would just keep him comfy, add liquids to his diet where ever you can as a precaution (wet mash, soaked hay...)keep an eye on his temp, gut sounds and manure output. I have never had a vaccine reaction last longer than about 36-48hours tops. I usually notice the reaction the morning after, treat with a dose of banamine and they are typically fine the next morning.
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Matt73
Well-Known Member
Shaving a head and neck would not cause a horse to get a fever/get cold
Many horses are completely clipped during the winter and wear a blanket(s). Their head and necks aren't covered...That statement from a vet tickes me off.
Yes I have had reactions from rabies vaccine. Enough that I was hesitant to keep giving it, but switched brands instead with much better results. Not a single reaction last year with the horses. Don't let your vet tell you rabies won't cause a reaction - we lost a cat last year from reaction to a rabies shot. She started having seizures and over the course of 2 very long days continued to decline. What really ticked me off was that the vet said absolutely it was a coincidence and not related to the vaccine. Had he acknowledged it I might have started treating her sooner and maybe have saved her. Horses thank goodness have not been that bad, just local reactions and some lethargy & fever.
Jan
Jan
I suggest to all that have had a horse exhibit more than what would be considered a mild reaction to a vaccine to look for a vaccine with a different adjuvant. The vaccines for rabies are all killed so reactions are either from the adjuvant, improper storage of the vaccine, or a coincidence.
Someone else mentioned the carbomer-based adjuvant systems and all studies have shown that horses who receive them have less reactions (no it does not provide complete protection against reactions...it technically doesn't provide protection at all. Horses just have less reactions to it-one reason for that is because less of it is needed) along with giving a higher titre of antibodies after vaccine administration.
Fort Dodge uses the adjuvant Metastim. Look it up for effects. It's interesting to read about and I would personally only use it as a last resort. Fort Dodge vaccines have decent efficacy, but not the greatest safety. The 2 things that decide whether a vaccine is a good one is based on efficacy and safety!
Always document vaccines and their adjuvants given to your horses so you can keep track-write down all reactions. Try to split vaccines up as that helps decrease the amount of adjuvant going into your horse therefore creating lower odds of a reaction. Research adjuvants before giving vaccines!
Someone else mentioned the carbomer-based adjuvant systems and all studies have shown that horses who receive them have less reactions (no it does not provide complete protection against reactions...it technically doesn't provide protection at all. Horses just have less reactions to it-one reason for that is because less of it is needed) along with giving a higher titre of antibodies after vaccine administration.
Fort Dodge uses the adjuvant Metastim. Look it up for effects. It's interesting to read about and I would personally only use it as a last resort. Fort Dodge vaccines have decent efficacy, but not the greatest safety. The 2 things that decide whether a vaccine is a good one is based on efficacy and safety!
Always document vaccines and their adjuvants given to your horses so you can keep track-write down all reactions. Try to split vaccines up as that helps decrease the amount of adjuvant going into your horse therefore creating lower odds of a reaction. Research adjuvants before giving vaccines!
It really frustrates me too. If it is a reaction to the rabies shot do I need the vet to come back? Is their anything they can do? I will definitly find out what company made the vaccine.
I just went to check on him. He seems to be a little more perky but still not himself. His temp was 100.5. Hes drank very little water, still has alot of hay left, and had had one good bowl movement. I'm praying I'll see a big difference in him by morning.
When you have a horse react to a vaccine do they typically do better with a different brand or do they react every time?
Nathan Luszcz
Well-Known Member
That's the big reason I avoid Fort Dodge products; lots of reactions. YES this was a vaccine reaction, a mild one it sounds. Use a different brand next year.
Minimor
Well-Known Member
It's funny, in all the years we've used the Fort Dodge vaccines (that is the brand most often available from the vets here) we've only ever had one reaction. One gelding ended up with a very stiff neck after his first dose of EEE/WEE/tetanus vaccine. The booster dose didn't bother him at all and he was fine every year after that.
The Merial WNV vaccines I have never liked. The first year we used that one we had big lumps at the injection site on about half the horses--the lumps eventually went away but it took a long time. I didn't buy it again for a long time, but did use it again 2 years ago because it was by far the best buy that year. I had several Minis that were down & out with colic and/or general malaise 3 to 24 hours after they got the vaccine--we simply don't have a high incidence of colic here otherwise so I had to wonder what link this rash of colic had to do with the Merial vaccine they were given. The vet said the vaccine would not cause colic--and I know a vaccine shouldn't cause colic--but I do believe there was a connection. Some of the horses were colicky just for a brief time--one shot of banamine & they came out of it--one gelding was unwell for 3 days afterward, then finally perked up. Since then we've used only the Prevenile in conjuction with the FD sleeping sickness/tetanus or the FD combo shot--the FD combo shot is still my favorite. We've had no reactions at all to that one, and we've given it to a lot of horses in the years we've used it.
I haven't had any negative reactions to the rabies vaccine other than one male dog who used to turn into super-stud every time he got his rabies shot. The vet insisted that a rabies shot would not affect a dog that way, but yes, it sure did have that effect on this particular dog! The dog displayed no such tendencies at all any other time, but give him a rabies vaccine and for the next 24-36 hours he would be trying to hump on anything he came across. Weird! I do know several people that have had small pets have major reactions to a rabies vaccine, and in some instances horses seem to have more minor reactions to it--stiffness, fever, depression.
For myself I wouldn't bother getting the vet back for a reaction unless it was an extremely severe one. If it were my horse I'd put a blanket on to try and stop the shivering. I'd give a dose of banamine & repeat as necessary for a day or two. There would be nothing the vet could do that I couldn't do myself so I would see no point it wasting money on a farm call. It's not the vet's fault that a horse has a reaction to any particular vaccine so there's no reason he/she should make a return call free of charge, IMO. If you're not comfortable with treating your horse yourself then do ask the vet to come back.
The Merial WNV vaccines I have never liked. The first year we used that one we had big lumps at the injection site on about half the horses--the lumps eventually went away but it took a long time. I didn't buy it again for a long time, but did use it again 2 years ago because it was by far the best buy that year. I had several Minis that were down & out with colic and/or general malaise 3 to 24 hours after they got the vaccine--we simply don't have a high incidence of colic here otherwise so I had to wonder what link this rash of colic had to do with the Merial vaccine they were given. The vet said the vaccine would not cause colic--and I know a vaccine shouldn't cause colic--but I do believe there was a connection. Some of the horses were colicky just for a brief time--one shot of banamine & they came out of it--one gelding was unwell for 3 days afterward, then finally perked up. Since then we've used only the Prevenile in conjuction with the FD sleeping sickness/tetanus or the FD combo shot--the FD combo shot is still my favorite. We've had no reactions at all to that one, and we've given it to a lot of horses in the years we've used it.
I haven't had any negative reactions to the rabies vaccine other than one male dog who used to turn into super-stud every time he got his rabies shot. The vet insisted that a rabies shot would not affect a dog that way, but yes, it sure did have that effect on this particular dog! The dog displayed no such tendencies at all any other time, but give him a rabies vaccine and for the next 24-36 hours he would be trying to hump on anything he came across. Weird! I do know several people that have had small pets have major reactions to a rabies vaccine, and in some instances horses seem to have more minor reactions to it--stiffness, fever, depression.
For myself I wouldn't bother getting the vet back for a reaction unless it was an extremely severe one. If it were my horse I'd put a blanket on to try and stop the shivering. I'd give a dose of banamine & repeat as necessary for a day or two. There would be nothing the vet could do that I couldn't do myself so I would see no point it wasting money on a farm call. It's not the vet's fault that a horse has a reaction to any particular vaccine so there's no reason he/she should make a return call free of charge, IMO. If you're not comfortable with treating your horse yourself then do ask the vet to come back.
JanBKS
Well-Known Member
Two years ago my gelding, who never had a reaction to any shots, he was 5 at the time, got his rabies shot and two days later developed founder with a fever, we caught it quickly and his temp went down and he has had not ill effects from the early treatment of founder. I called the vet and ask her what she used, it was the most used name brand in the country, she only buys this name brand. so he has had no rabies shots since and has been fine with all other shots. He is sensitive to sedative when she did his teeth the next year he only took half the dose and was quite mellow. He is a good boy anyway but she don't do teeth without it,, I have since been using another person who does not use sedatives.
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