Lump in neck after vaccine

shergar said:
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
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Thanks Shergar. Interestingly, spoke to physio today explained what's happened and she said and I quote 'I've seen a few that have had a reaction recently'
I'm going to write to drug Company although not sure what they will say?
The lump looks bigger today, I suppose it could be from the scan and needle yesterday?
 
oldjumper said:
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.
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Vet has said they won't inject in neck anymore. I've had her 10 years and never had a reaction before. The lump is big and solid, I just hope it does disappear after a while. It's 4 weeks on Wednesday since vaccine.
 
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HI tiffany that is interesting If you can do some photo s and send copies to drug company I would be polite and ask them to pay the vet bill say you wanted horse vaccinated to keep it healthy and you are very disapointed now you have a sick horse It seems they paid quite a few vet bills lately I am hoping your horse is soon well again
 
I took a couple of photos today on phone but no longer have a photobucket account because I forgot my log in details. Apparently only way I can access is to re-register from a different email address - that's far too completed for me :eek:
 
sorry tiffany I missed the bit about send you the link I had this pc as a present and was going to sell as it lived in its box for 2 years how ever my daughter has helped me get started still not that good and will have to get her to show me how to send links I typed in reaction to tet and flu vaccine in horse s and if you want to look at pics of horse scroll down click on HUGE REACTION TO JABS any thoughts its a few down page Sorry I can t do better these things are only easy when we know how I will have to keep trying I hope you can find it now
 
I did that and did fine some H&H posts although not the link to site where you can report allergic reaction. Will try again - might just have missed it
 
sorry tiffany I have just found it again type in VETERINARY MEDICAL DIRECTORATE On that page on right side click ABOUT US now on page you will see quick links a yellow box click and you should have it I HOPE did your vet say she she is sending yellow form to drug company if so she has made a mistake she needs to send to V M D OR YOU CAN
 
Thanks Shergar. I thought she said drug Company but I could be mistaken - I'll ask when I ring later in week.

Gel I've been given to apply twice a day is Compagel.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks :)
 
shergar said:
sorry tiffany I have just found it again type in VETERINARY MEDICAL DIRECTORATE On that page on right side click ABOUT US now on page you will see quick links a yellow box click and you should have it I HOPE did your vet say she she is sending yellow form to drug company if so she has made a mistake she needs to send to V M D OR YOU CAN
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Reported on Veterinary Medical Directorate webiste
 
Hi tiffany hope your horse is starting to feel more comfortable now and you managed to find page for the V S D On the top of this page were on now 4 it reads VETERINARY ADJUVANTS W W W desert king .com this what vaccine is suspended in I have nt read yet but thought it may be worth a look it is possible that horse s have reaction to the adjuvant and not the vaccine thanks for posting back
 
Ringing vet again in morning, she's not herself, she's not grazing when out in field and she's standing in a very unusual way when stretching down to her water or feed buckets. She's fine eating from her net so seems it's painful when she puts her neck/head down. Also, the lump isn't shrinking yet and I would have hoped for some improvement by now.
 
How is your mare today?

My friend's horse has had a similar reaction :( He was jabbed two weeks ago in his hindquarters, and has now got a lovely abscess forming, and is very uncomfortable in himself. I was looking on here to start a similar thread, and found this one.
I think you're in a similar area to us - looks like a rogue batch is perhaps to blame?
 
fairhill said:
How is your mare today?

My friend's horse has had a similar reaction :( He was jabbed two weeks ago in his hindquarters, and has now got a lovely abscess forming, and is very uncomfortable in himself. I was looking on here to start a similar thread, and found this one.
I think you're in a similar area to us - looks like a rogue batch is perhaps to blame?
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Rougue batch is what I'm thinking. Do you know which vaccine your friend's horse had? pm me if you want.

It's a month tomorrow since vaccine and lump is still same size and she's just not herself. Vet coming out again tomorrow (3rd time since vaccine). I have reported on website Shergar mentioned and I'm going to write to drug Company to let them know.

This will be the most expensive vaccine I've ever known and all I was trying to do was protect her :(
 
Hi Tiffany I just looked in to see how you are getting on and I am sorry to see you are still having problems it really saddens me when good owners trying there best to protect there horse s I am glad you found the web site for the V S D and reported to them It might be worth asking your vet for a phone number for the drug company I think I would be asking them about the bill it may get expensive I will keep a look out for your posts and hope your horse gets better soon
 
Vet came out again yesterday and her temperature is still normal although even vet could tell she wasn't herself. He thinks there may be infection (cellulitus) so she's now on 2 anti-biotics a day as well as 2 bute and compagel. They are coming back next week to check her again and they are going to get in touch with drug Company.
 
Hi Tiffany I was sorry to read your horse is still sore and now on even more treatment poor girl Is she the lovely grey on your picture s ? I was looking on this forum yesterday for something for a friend from a while back I could nt find it any way I did notice a post by SSANTA ON 30 1 2013 TET AND FLU ABSCESS AGAIN page 16 the drug company paid the bill how kind but did nt pay for the vaccine Have a look see what you think I would love to know how many and WHY I hope your girl gets better soon its sad when they are unwell . I will keep a look out for your posts.
 
Hi Shergar, I'll have a look at the thread you mentioned. Yes my girl is the grey in my signature. She's now been on antibiotics 4 days although the lump is still the same size, rock hard and feel warmer now. Maybe it is forming into an abscess?

Will vet tomorrow to let them know and see what day they are planning on coming out. Will also be interested to hear what next step is.

Will let you know how we get on.
 
Not that it helps now, but if my vet had witnessed another vet injecting into the neck he would have beaten the snot out of them. He was training a young vet when he came out to remove my boys wolf teeth and I heard him warning her NEVER to inject there. He is really passionate about it as he witnessed one horse in an awful state and slowly starving and dehydrating due to infection, it couldn't put its head down to eat or drink and was in agony. He told her that if someone ever tried to tell her it was ok 'tell them 'x' says they are a *insert expletive* and ignore them' he told her you could kill a horse by injecting them there.

Having heard him tell her this, I will never let a vet inject into the neck of a horse.
 
The lump still isn't reducing in size and we are in the 5th week now so I'm beginning to wonder if it will go?

Vet coming out again tomorrow so will ask what next step is.

I certainly won't be letting my girl have any injections in her neck again :(
 
Queenbee no offence but your vet IS overreacting if that is truelly what he says. There are pros and cons to injecting anywhere. Reactions can and do happen anywhere and yes, can be very serious if they occur within the nuchal ligament. Realistically most neck abscesses or lumps occur within the subcutaneous or muscle. I can also guarantee that any horse which subsequently starved or dehydrated would be as a result of owner ignorance. To allow a horse to starve or dehydrate is not acceptable regardless of the cause. On the other hand, maybe you misheard and he was saying never inject in certain parts of the neck ie outside of the "triangle". Injections high up in the neck or in the bottom half of the neck are associated with higher risk.
 
My old mare used to react to her flu & tet jab every time. The first time she had one with us, it came up in a large hard lump (about the size of the palm of my hand). She was stiff for a couple of days and then fine. Next year we asked about the lump (it never went away) and were told not to be so silly as it had been a senior vet at the practice and he wouldn't have injected her so high on her neck. He did as we saw it!

When we eventually changed vets (unrelated issue but we never liked or trusted the first ones) the new ones agreed it could have been the jab. They tried her next one in her chest and she went lame. The one the year after was in her bum, and again she went lame.

I hope your horse's lump gets sorted. Ours never bothered about her lump but if she had we would have had it properly investigated. She lived with it for nearly six years before she died of a completely unrelated colic. It's obviously not unheard of, though, for lumps and reactions to happen.
 
Glenruby my vet says it's quite normal to inject in neck although if there is a reaction it can be more problematic, they have made a note on her records not to inject in neck again.

Silmarillion the lump really is quite large and she is uncomfortable when she puts her head down. I'm not riding her at the moment because she's uncomfortable and unable to flex.

The lump hasn't reduced in size although I think it may have changed shape a little?

Vet back to see her tomorrow so I'll see what they think
 
Hi Tiffany just looking to see how you are getting on ,poor horse 5 weeks of being sore, I hope that vet has some answers for you tomorrow ,I will keep looking for your posts and hope you see some improvement soon.
 
glenruby said:
Queenbee no offence but your vet IS overreacting if that is truelly what he says. There are pros and cons to injecting anywhere. Reactions can and do happen anywhere and yes, can be very serious if they occur within the nuchal ligament. Realistically most neck abscesses or lumps occur within the subcutaneous or muscle. I can also guarantee that any horse which subsequently starved or dehydrated would be as a result of owner ignorance. To allow a horse to starve or dehydrate is not acceptable regardless of the cause. On the other hand, maybe you misheard and he was saying never inject in certain parts of the neck ie outside of the "triangle". Injections high up in the neck or in the bottom half of the neck are associated with higher risk.
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No offence, but I suppose if you'd seen a horse unable to eat or drink due to pain from the infected site then you may be inclined to overreact too. Neck sites can't drain as easily and if they get infected they cause far more complications than other sites. I'm not saying other sites are less likely to get infected but they are less likely to affect a horses ability to drink.

And no I did not mishear, he specifically told the student that if she ever got told that it was alright to inject into the neck she could tell them that 'vet x' said they are a xxx! He told her to inject into the chest... Not the neck.

I'm also not saying starvation or dehydration is acceptable... I am saying that when my vet saw the horse in question, it was in a right state from said infection, and whether or not an infection in such an area is treatable or not, it is bleeding preventable by not risking it in the first place.

I'm also not saying that there aren't times when it necessary to insert a foreign object into that area... Microchips for example, but it is not necessary to use the neck... Closely located to the frigging vertebrae and spinal column as the first port of call. I'd certainly go with what my vet said tbh, each to their own but to me it is common sense
 
My horse has this mainly I think caused by the fact that she is so naughty for having an injection and thrashes around, the vet gave me boscapan which is a steroid cream to apply and it went down within around a week
 
Vet came back again today and re-scanned the lump which hasn't reduced in size at all.

Now confident it's a deep routed abscess so I'm dropping her off on Sunday and they qill open up and drain on Monday. Likely she'll be in for about 5 days.

At least we know what we are dealing with now.
 
Queen bee - the tone of your reply is quite rude. I have seen an abscess in the neck - however I have seen far more abscesses in the chest which cause horrific lameness. I had already stated the pros and cons so won't repeat them but don't be under any illusion chest injections can be just as close to the axial skeleton. Injections in the wrong part of the neck may cause problems with the vertebral nerves but that is not to say that im or sc injections in the correct area if the neck are not safe.
 
Hi tiffany just looked in to see how you are getting on , so sorry to hear your horse has not improved , hopefully once that is drained she will be fine , I will look out for your posts
 
To get back on topic, sounds like the hospital trip is the right option for your mare. Hope it can be managed easily and she's on the road to recovery in no time.
 
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