Foal Under The Weather After Vaccinations?

legyield

legyield

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Has anyone else experienced this?
Both my two year old and my 5 month old fillies had their vaccinations yesterday, combined flu and tet. No bother whatsoever and were both perfect for the vet. Today my two year old is absolutely fine but my foal is a bit under the weather.
She's got a snotty (and a bit scabby) nose and is a bit lethargic. I've been on the phone to both the vets and my old yard manager to ask advice. Vets have said because it was a live vaccine it can happen, especially as she's quite young but it isn't something to massively worry about although it is quite rare that they react to it. She did come trotting up the field and grazed most of the time I was there, but did have a lay down for about 20 minutes (first time I've seen her lay down actually). I didn't want to disturb her by making her get up and bring her out of the field, so I sat on the floor with her and gave her her feed there. No problems with eating and drinking, she's still got quite an appetite! Have been told she should perk up by tomorrow and if not, to go and get some antibiotics from the vets. I have a photo of what her nose looks like if any are interested in seeing it.

Has anyone else experienced this? I've never come across it before if I'm honest.
 
My horse who is 11 reacts to vaccinations!

For a few days afterwards I can't ride her because she just gets a bit under the weather, just a bit subdued and lethargic. She still eats and drinks so I don't get hugely worried. After about 2 days she is back to her usual self.

The first time I had her vaccinated she came out in full body hives :o Not had that reaction again though!
 
if it's any consolation I had my (human) flu jab last week and it knocked me sideways for a day or two ... I imagine the horses feel much the same.
 
I had my homebred injected as soon as he old enough as I was led to believe it was the best thing to do. Never again. I would only have tetenus and not have flu until older as I think it damaged there lungs and causes dust allergies but no one does any research into this. When I was young very few horses were allergic to straw, now loads are but when I was young there were no flu vacs.
Hope yours grows to have good lungs
 
I'm the same as Carthorse. I do not vaccinate foals for flu, only tetanus. I've had a couple of foals throughout my time that have reacted with the same snotty nose and lethargy so now I don't allow live vaccines to be given to my foals. You may find that this snottiness comes and goes over the next few months. With the little ones I had that reacted this was common for symptoms to last a number of months and just when you thought it had gone, it would reappear. I did start feeding probiotics to them, don't know if it helped any but I felt it might boost their system a little.
 
Thanks for the comments. With regards to flu vaccine then, the vet is due out again in the next 30-90 days (not booked it yet) for the second course. Would it be more sensible to just have her tet rather than combined flu and tet again, and just my two year old to have both flu and tet, to prevent further reactions?
 
It seems to be good advice (for humans, horses and all animals) to boost the immune system before vaccinating and make sure there are no other big stresses like change of home/diet/weather/worming to co-incide (humans should take extra Vitamin C before flu vacc)

Like others I am not entirely comfortable about dual vaccines for 'first timers'
I think more information/feedback is needed
 
Hi Legyield, I think if it were me I'd probably just have the second vaccination done. Your youngster already has it in his system and I never found the symptoms got any worse but I do wonder if that was part of the reason it seemed to take so long for them to shake it off. Maybe try boosting his immune system in the meantime and hopefully that may help for the second part of the vaccination. If you have a youngster again though perhaps reconsider giving him a live vaccine until he's older.
 
Cuffey said:
Like others I am not entirely comfortable about dual vaccines for 'first timers'
Click to expand...

I'm not comfortable with any mixed vaccines being given to horse, dogs or humans TBQH. Mine always get single doses nowadays. I don't mind the different vaccines being given on the same day to older horses, that's fine, but not mixed and stored in the same vial/syringe.
 
Thanks. I'll buy a probiotic and include that in feeds until it's time for the next vaccination (whether I do decide to go ahead with both or just tetanus). I wasn't intending on vaccinating just yet anyway, but the field they are in does have some barbed wire - they are in 40 acres and generally don't go near it - and I didn't want to risk tetanus. I thought while I was getting them tetanused I may aswell have them flu jabbed too. I asked the vets if she was old enough for the vaccines and they said that yes, her age shouldn't be a problem. I will be keeping an eye on her, just questioning the vaccine now really.
 
This is today, having a snooze after dinner.
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my 5yo was a little off after his flu jab - not particularly snotty, but had a slight cough (nothing had changed, he's on shavings, plenty of ventilation, hay not dusty), and was just a bit lethargic, and just not his usual sparky self. He was absolutely fine after a few days, though :)
 
To be honest I've always fed all my horses bread and it's never done them any harm. She didn't eat it anyway, like I said I gave it to my cob x tb so doesn't make a difference really. She is a lovely filly.
 
I have the vet coming to vaccinate my 5 month old foal tomorrow and was in a quandary about whether to go with tenus or combined tenus and flu.

I have just spoken to my vet and agreed he will do tetnus only which he thinks is a perfectly reasonable stance. In fact the only youngstock he gives the combined vaccine to are racing TBs.

He also mentioned that none of the vaccines are live vaccines any more which was news to me.
 
My two year old was under the weather after her jabs she went unusually quiet but still eating. Then just over a week later both her hind legs filled. When the vet examined her he said it was as a result of the flu jab and she was on bute for 8 days.
 
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