Lump in neck after vaccine

Tiffany

Tiffany

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My mare had her flu and tetanus vaccine a couple of week's a go. The next day a soft swelling appeared in her neck which I just put down to fluid caused by vaccine. The following day it disappeared although, I thought she looked tense in her neck and she couldn't do her carrot stretches as well as normal. in the last couple of days quite a large hard lump has appeared in same place.

This has never happened after an injection before although the lump is where the needle went so what could it possibly be - any thoughts?

Going to ring vet in morning but just wondered in anyone else had similar problem?

Thanks
:)
 
Same thing happened to our mare a couple of years ago could not stretch down enough to eat grass area around the vaccine was hot and swollen vet came back out and gave her another injection sorry i cannot remember what it was and after about a week neck was back to normal. A friend had the same problem last week with her yearling dont worry it will go but ring your vet and see what they say.
 
My friend's horse had his vaccine and he got a really stiff neck and couldn't eat off the floor for about 24 hours. He had a bute and was better the next day.
However, I had a tetanus vaccine and my arm came up in a lump which was hot and sore to the touch and took about 2 months to settle down :(
 
One of my hunt horses I looked after got a lump and sore neck, I rang the vets they said give him some bute and a couple of days off then take it easy for a few days. The lump went after a couple of days but neck was still a bit swollen and sore for maybe a week. They didn't do him in the neck again.
 
Tiffany yes it was the vets fault injected into the wrong area and the vaccine did not disperse as it should that is what they told me . Has not had any problems since with injections in the neck.
 
Tiffany, it sounds as if an abcess could be starting. Hot cloth it, but also give the vet's a buzz to see what they recommend.
 
Please get vet to scan it. Our pony had the same last year and got progressively worse over 2 months (vet said to leave it month, recheck etc) It turned out he had a bad batch of drugs . Chemical company didnt accept liability but paid for all treatment - which to me is the same thing. Treatment reached £600 in end.

It was an absess really deap down and extras confirmed it was very close to some major parts which could have caused massive problems if not treated. (sorry cant remember technical terms)

He went in the vets in the end to have it surgically removed/drained. He then came back with 2 holes in his neck and a cafeta (sp?) which we had to flush for another week.

ITs a year on and he's fine and as a precuation is now jabbed in his bum,
 
amymay said:
Tiffany, it sounds as if an abcess could be starting. Hot cloth it, but also give the vet's a buzz to see what they recommend.
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this^

a needle is a foreign body and dirt can travel in with it so it does not have to be the vets fault (although of course sometimes it is), you may just have been unlucky
 
Rang vet on Monday & they didn't seem too concerned. I'm away on business until tomorrow but friend just rang to say lump is now about 8 inches long & 3 inches wide. Think I'll get vet out when I get home because certainly worrying 2 weeks after jab
 
I have one of mine who react to the Flu/tet vac if it is put into her neck ,so I now have it done in her chest without a problem.

In the past I have given her a couple of Bute for 2 days and that has sorted it out.
 
I asked vet at time why he was doing in neck & he said they always did, they have always done her vaccine & this was first vet who did it in neck. This is problem with large practices, one vets doesn't got to know your horse.
 
Tiffany said:
I asked vet at time why he was doing in neck & he said they always did, they have always done her vaccine & this was first vet who did it in neck. This is problem with large practices, one vets doesn't got to know your horse.
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A lot of vets who don't 'know' the horse (so if it is this that particular vets first time seeing your mare it's kind of understandable) will jab in the neck rather than the chest - it's easier and safer if the horse decided it doesn't like injections! Probably best to say she's had a reaction in future, so that any new vets know to inject her chest rather than the neck.
Doesn't mean they can't get a reaction in the chest, but it generally seems to cause less of a problem (eg. abcesses drain out a lot easier there).

Hope your horse is okay :)
 
Jools1234 said:
this^

a needle is a foreign body and dirt can travel in with it so it does not have to be the vets fault (although of course sometimes it is), you may just have been unlucky
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This happened to one of mine when she was microchipped. She got a abscess which burst out on her crest. She had 2 courses of antibiotics over the following months which seemed to clear it up but then it would break out again. with pus coming out on her crest. It ended up as a fistula and she had to go in and have it operated on and had the abscess and the whole tract from there to the crest cut out. She has a scar about 4" long on her neck now and it cost me about £300 altogether all from getting her chipped. I don't even think she has the chip in now as I think it was cut out with the abscess but I'm not having her done again.:mad:
 
I have a friend who had a 8 month old vaccinated a couple of years ago we had to take her to equine hospital very poorly with side of neck the size of a football she had her neck lanced and flushed every day for 2 weeks but spent 16 days in hospital I knew of others who had problems so I told my friend to find out name of drug company she asked and they said they would let her know they rang back and said the drug company is paying for your horse s treatment The problem was not the vaccine but the carrier they put it in I rang RCVS and got phone number for people who needed to record complaints about drugs they sent out yellow forms that needed to be filled in and sent back if this does not happen then how do they know there is a problem My thought was why did the equine hospital not bother to tell them only know they did not
 
Sheehan - clearly if the drug company was paying then the equine hospital had already reported the reaction to the drug company. It is standard procedure within most practices to record and report drug reactions. You would be surprised how many clients do not report vaccine reactions until the following year though!
 
Hi Glenruby the drug company is in America and may be they told the complaints people here at a later date I know when I rang they had no information recorded and that is why they asked for forms to be filled in and sent back I did say people were worrying about having horse s tet and flu boosters and sad if not done as that puts them at risk
 
I'm going to ring vet tomorrow and ask them to come out to her. The lumo isn't getting a smaller, about 6" across and 3" wide and it's a hard lump? She's very tight in her neck on both side which isn't normal although, the lump is only on the side of the vaccine.
 
Vets been out today & says it's a severe reaction to vaccine. Lump is painful for her when touched & she's just not been quite herself since vaccine. Vets wants to scan lump so they know what they are dealing with. Ringing me tomorrow to say when they can do it.
 
ME AGAIN I posted on here to you about my friends horse and to say the drug company paid her vet bill minimex 2 said same thing But why are they paying I just thought it may be worth you asking same question as it seems to me more horse s are having reactions now I think it is sad that we have the horse vaccinated to safe guard them and end up with a problem and probably another vet bill Please post back and let me know I have always had horses and hate it when things go wrong Good luck with your horse
 
Thanks Shergar, they are doing scan on Friday so will let you know. I asked today why such an adverse reaction when she's been vaccinated every year since I've owned her (10 years) and was told that sometimes the drug Companies change the contents of a drug.

Vet did say if there is a reaction it is worse when injected in the neck so my question is why inject in neck? I'm fairly certain she's not had in neck previously which is why I asked vet on the day?
 
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Hi Tiffany I hope you dont mind me asking will your vet be reporting this reaction to the drug company I had TB S for over fifteen years and every one of them had vaccine in the neck with no problems at all we were told if you ride don t get horse sweaty I wonder if what ever changed was to make drugs cheaper and now our horse s are paying I will find the phone number for the people here who deal with complaints and ask them I also hope the vet will not be giving you another bill we don t need all this hassle good people who are looking after there horse s Once again will you let us know how you get on many thanks
 
I don't know if they will be reporting to drug Company although I will be asking the question.

Yes of course I'll let you know what happens tomorrow. Poor girl really isn't herself :( It's very subtle differences but I've owned her for 10 years so I know her and spot anything unusual.

Yes there will be a bill because apparently 'it happens sometimes and it's just the luck of the draw'
 
Hi tiffany I am pleased you are going to ask vet about reporting the reaction to the drug company if possible let them know your not happy they make out this is normal and yes saying it does happen some times My question is still why I really do think people are being conned I was so mad seeing friends youngster suffer and I am sure if people don t complain this is just going to continue I love horse s and I only ever want the best for them
 
One of our horses started reacting after every annual vac. - the following day he would be depressed and have a swelling several inches in diameter which was painful to the touch. He now has bute on day of vac and for a couple days after and has had no problems for last 10 years. (This horse also reacts to some other substances eg tea tree, so obviously a sensitive soul)! Apparently it is not that uncommon for some horses to get a reaction.
 
Vet came out today to scan the lump. You could clearly see a black mass on the scan and at first vet thought it may be an abcess. After scanning again with more gel she said it was unlikely to be an abcess but was a little concerned about one area so would check with a needle. Needle proved it wasn't so I think that's good news. Basically it's the way the muscle has reacted to the vaccine.

She's on 2 bute a day for another 7 days and been left some gel (can't remember name) to apply twice a day and physio in a couple of weeks when it's less painful.

Vet did complete a yellow form to send to drug Company. I also asked for name and address of drug Company so I could write to them.
My poor girl is not happy although she is eating but just doesn't want to be touched particularly, on her neck.

I'll try and get a photo of lump tomorrow, looked bigger after vet had scanned today but could be my imagination.
 
Mine had same in Jan 2012, ended up having surgery to have lump removed (size of half a golf ball) as reins rubbing on it.

Horse vaccines are live, unlike cats and dogs and are therefore in a fluid and they think the reaction was to the fluid.

I have owned this horse for 18 yrs and never had a reaction before. Surgery was approx £300 which drug company covered and vets sorted it all out. He had 6 staples in neck.

All went well then 12 hrs on he developed colic... drug company wouldn't cover, my vets were amazing, home visits twice a day for 2 days, on 3rd day of no sleep for me either he was admitted to the vets surgery and put in intensive care. This on my beloved 21yr old baby. He was poked and prodded, tubed every two hrs etc etc, 2 days on he was a bit better but not settled so vets asked me to take his friend in, a 2yr old Sec A, so off he went to keep his friend company, 2 days later they both came home. The bill...... the vets covered it all, so kind.

This Jan he had vaccination in his rump no problems, but I have had a £560 colic bill since... we think due to snow being on the paddocks for 2 weeks where I live and he couldn't get to Dr Green, losing appetite for hay and not drinking enough. Seems ok now and has part hay, part haylage. I'm sure he is now prone to colic and at 22yrs of age it is a worry.
 
Hi again tiffany and any one else with same interest I have been doing some more research I typed in on web REACTION TO TET AND FLU VACCINE N HORSE S very interesting scrolled down a bit to poorly pony after vacs its horse and hound arcive forum 2009 also some pics of horse vaccinated in chest with a reaction Reaction is to adjuvant that is what drug is suspended in The VETERINARY MEDICAL DIRECTORATE are who drug reactions are reported to for animals and people on there site you can report on line ie click on yellow box its for vets and general public Lots of people do not know this scheme is in place we need to tell them of these reactions so they can see how many horse s are affected I am not sure if all vets do this or do they just report to drug company I think it should be both V S D is an executive agency of DEFRA As always I hope this helps you and your horse s and they are soon well again
 
silverghost said:
Mine had same in Jan 2012, ended up having surgery to have lump removed (size of half a golf ball) as reins rubbing on it.

Horse vaccines are live, unlike cats and dogs and are therefore in a fluid and they think the reaction was to the fluid.

I have owned this horse for 18 yrs and never had a reaction before. Surgery was approx £300 which drug company covered and vets sorted it all out. He had 6 staples in neck.

All went well then 12 hrs on he developed colic... drug company wouldn't cover, my vets were amazing, home visits twice a day for 2 days, on 3rd day of no sleep for me either he was admitted to the vets surgery and put in intensive care. This on my beloved 21yr old baby. He was poked and prodded, tubed every two hrs etc etc, 2 days on he was a bit better but not settled so vets asked me to take his friend in, a 2yr old Sec A, so off he went to keep his friend company, 2 days later they both came home. The bill...... the vets covered it all, so kind.

This Jan he had vaccination in his rump no problems, but I have had a £560 colic bill since... we think due to snow being on the paddocks for 2 weeks where I live and he couldn't get to Dr Green, losing appetite for hay and not drinking enough. Seems ok now and has part hay, part haylage. I'm sure he is now prone to colic and at 22yrs of age it is a worry.
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Poor boy - it's a worry isn't. We vaccinate them to protect them and end up causing them a problem. My girl;s lump is the size of half a melon and vet says it should go over time?
 
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