very bad reaction to vaccines!

[jegray21]

We recently vaccinated for the standard yearly vaccines...three out of six horses have huge swollen necks. Had the vet out today and we are running them on antibiotics. My mare was so sore she was colicky...what a day! The vet suggested no more injection in the neck. Has this happened to anyone else. My minis seem very sensitive to diet and shots. I am worried that there is more information I should have going forward to help prevent things like this...I have had horses for years but seem to have more issues with my little ones. I have not done the strangles vaccine because I am now afraid of how they may react to it!

 

[Zipper]

I just had mine done last week and I got everything except strangles and I never even got a swollen injection spot and she did 2on one side and the one on the other side.

I dont know what to do about the strangles one either.

Sorry I cant help you.

 

[Miniv]

It's actually not that uncommon....especially in the neck. (We prefer giving in the butt muscle.) Owners are also reporting that certain vaccine manufacturers are more susceptible than others.

As for Strangles.... Have you inquired about the inter-nasal version? That's a lot less invasive. Our vet gives those now.

 

[Riverdance]

I only give the shots in the butt. Mainly because it can cause problems in the neck.

 

[Molly's Run Minis]

I just had mine done last week and I got everything except strangles and I never even got a swollen injection spot and she did 2on one side and the one on the other side.

I dont know what to do about the strangles one either.

Sorry I cant help you.

same with mine! no reactions at all, i was surprised! your horses must be very sensative if they got that sick!

 

[Charlotte]

I only give the shots in the butt. Mainly because it can cause problems in the neck.

I will ditto Riverdance. Also, we never give more than one vaccination at a time. We allow a minimum of a week between shots. We give the vaccination in the morning when the horse will be turned out all day. Horses stalled after vaccination are more likely to have the type of reaction you mentioned.

Some vaccine brands are harsher than others.

Regarding the strangles vaccine.....are your horses going to shows or other gathering places where they might be exposed? or are you bringing in new horses? Consider the degree of exposure when deciding on what vaccinations are needed.

To help your sore horses now, turn out all the time is best. You might try warm compresses on the very sore places. Be sure your little ones are drinking well even if you have to hold a bucket up to their nose several times per day. Some horses get so sore they won't put their head down to drink.

Did you ask your vet if a little banamine was indicated for the worst ones?

I hope they feel better soon.

Charlotte

 

[Sue_C.]

Poor things! It is very strange that they would all have reactions though...

I too do not give my shots in the neck for this same reason. Never had a really bad reaction to vacinations, but I know that it would be less of a hardship to have one in the butt than the neck.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Yeah I have had some bad dealing giving it in the neck that I'll probably switch to their butt.

I have had only 1 swelled up spot after giving vaccine, and my friend has 1 that any shots you give she will start to shake, she actually has a real bad case giving banamine. She will actually get colicky. Don't know why.

What brand did you give?

 

[Becky]

My guess is the brand of vaccine you used that caused the problem. Some vaccines (by brand) have harsher adjuvents than others.

Having said that, I give virtually all of my vaccinations in the neck. Vaccinating 20+ horses by myself, it's much easier on me and the horses that way. Rarely if ever do I have reactions. Interestingly enough, the only vaccination I've ever had abcess was given in the butt.

 

[Sandee]

Our vet gives one shot for EWT & West Nile and the intranasal for Rhino on one trip. Then the next time she give rabies shot and intranasal for Strangles.

I have had 2 of my three react to neck shots. No more neck shots. However my mare has started to behave badly whenever she sees a hypo. She will kick out and rear. This started with a vet that didn't know how to handle minis and has only gotten worse. This last time we had to snub her to the stall bars and put a twitch on her and pin her against a wall. Sure glad that shots only come once or twice a year.

 

[Sue_C.]

Our vet gives one shot for EWT & West Nile and the intranasal for Rhino on one trip. Then the next time she give rabies shot and intranasal for Strangles.

I have had 2 of my three react to neck shots. No more neck shots. However my mare has started to behave badly whenever she sees a hypo. She will kick out and rear. This started with a vet that didn't know how to handle minis and has only gotten worse. This last time we had to snub her to the stall bars and put a twitch on her and pin her against a wall. Sure glad that shots only come once or twice a year.

If this is a mare that gets regular handling, I would begin taking a syringe with me to do anything at all with her...and give her a treat when she settles down a bit, it will take time, but she should become more manageable when she simply sees a syringe. As for the shot itself, what my vet does before injecting, is push with his thumb exactly where the needle will be going. He pushes quite hard, and keeps his thumb there until the muscle around it begins to soften, then gently slips the needle under his thumb as he releases the pressure. It absolutely amazes me at how well this works.

 

[chandab]

Having said that, I give virtually all of my vaccinations in the neck. Vaccinating 20+ horses by myself, it's much easier on me and the horses that way. Rarely if ever do I have reactions. Interestingly enough, the only vaccination I've ever had abcess was given in the butt.

Me, too. I did try shots in the butt after getting minis, but had to have my husband help me (he held them while I gave shots - it wasn't bad, just not convient, as I had to have his help). I only have a couple horses that are bad about shots, and they are minis (probably because they are so short, so its an awkward angle for me). Today, I finished up my yearly vaccinations and got the 4 saddle horses done; all in the neck and hardly a flinch by anyone. [Now deworming that's another story. Biggest horse is the biggest baby about deworming.

]

Over 20+ years with horses (only the last 5 with minis), I've had few reactions. My senior half-Arab gelding reacts the the strangles vaccine (baseball size swelling at injection site), he had to have it while boarding (intra-nasal wasn't available then - and I dont' vaccinate for it now); vet recommended bute for a few days at vaccination time to lessen reaction (it did help some). My APHA mare reacted one year to the WNV vaccine, just a small lump and hasn't since. And, I think i've had a couple similar reactions, but they don't stick out in my mind.

 

[Zora]

Vaccines definitely do cause reactions like that and worse. We only do rabies as it's law.

 

[rubyviewminis]

Where on earth is it the law to give rabies vaccines to horses? Since I worked at Animal Control in Arizona, and rabies is quite common there, I always got my horses rabies vaccines from the vets who I assisted at the semiannual county vaccination clinics. All my life I vaccinated my own horses, goats, donkeys ect with all their vaccines. But since I had my first miniature two years ago, the first vaccination event was horrible! They were terrible little brats to vaccinate, even with my husbands help so after losing 3 vaccines we have the vet vaccinate for us on the miniatures.

I do have a question. I always vaccinated large horses in the neck, no problems in 22 years. The goats near the pin bone and spine in the butt careful not to hit a nerve, and no problem I always assumed the butt shot on horses was in the back muscle low. My vet vaccinates the minis on top of the butt with no problem at all. So I want to ask where exactly do all of you give the butt shots?

 

[Zora]

Where on earth is it the law to give rabies vaccines to horses? Since I worked at Animal Control in Arizona, and rabies is quite common there, I always got my horses rabies vaccines from the vets who I assisted at the semiannual county vaccination clinics. All my life I vaccinated my own horses, goats, donkeys ect with all their vaccines. But since I had my first miniature two years ago, the first vaccination event was horrible! They were terrible little brats to vaccinate, even with my husbands help so after losing 3 vaccines we have the vet vaccinate for us on the miniatures.

I do have a question. I always vaccinated large horses in the neck, no problems in 22 years. The goats near the pin bone and spine in the butt careful not to hit a nerve, and no problem I always assumed the butt shot on horses was in the back muscle low. My vet vaccinates the minis on top of the butt with no problem at all. So I want to ask where exactly do all of you give the butt shots?

I'm pretty sure it's the law in Maine. If it wasn't that would be great though!!

 

[Bunnylady]

The adjuvant in one particular manufacturer's vaccines has been known to cause these sorts of reactions in both large and small horses. When giving vaccinations, I understand that the same amount of vaccine is given to every horse, whether it is a 2000 lb. Clydesdale or a 200 lb. mini, so it is perhaps not surprising that a mini might be more likely to have a reaction.

The first time I had my mini mule vaccinated, her neck and leg blew up like a balloon! It took several days of dosing her with Bute (I know better now!) to bring the swelling down. Since we get several cases of EEE and West Nile in this area every year (Coastal Carolina is mosquito central!) and a few rabid foxes or raccoons make the local news annually as well, I feel that not vaccinating just isn't an option. I now give Betsy one oral dose of Banamine at the time that the shots are given, and it seems to be enough to stave off a reaction. She still gets a knot about 1 inch across at the injection site, but even that doesn't seem very sore, and it goes away within a few days.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

I'm willing to bet that you used Fort Dodge vaccines. They are known for reactions like that.

Rabies is a legal requirement in some states. Its required by law for any travel for NH horses, to shows and the like.

Never give the IM version of strangles.... Pinnicle IN is the only one I'd recommend using.

 

[Matt73]

I've only had my horses have/have given vaccinations in the neck and have never had a reaction/soreness in 20+ years.

 

[jegray21]

Thanks for all the input! Everyone is doing much better today. They are on antibiotics and a cream with DMSO, took the swelling right out. I am going to be that there was something wrong the actual vaccine...going to go with the nasal strangles one...Thanks again!

 

[wildoak]

If you had three horses react, I'd bet too that it was the vaccine. I've had enough problems with Ft Dodge that I avoid it whenever possible. Generally though, I only have one or two mares who routinely react to almost any vaccine. It's a mother & daughter, and they now get oral banamine along with vaccines. The daughter had an abscess years ago from a vaccine (given by a vet) and just seems super sensitive.

Jan