Reaction to vaccinations (in chest)

[TPO]

My horse and one of my mums were both vaccinated on Friday for flu/tet. The vet gave them in the chest, I usually ask for neck as had a horse that reacted badly to the chest before. No idea why I didn't this time ??‍

Anyway, both horses have very swollen pectorals (one each).

They usually come in for a few hours midday buy were in longer on Saturday due to the heat and flies. So I'm guessing standing hasn't helped, although both were also hand walked and went back out at night.

The swellings have gone down slightly today but are still very prominent. Mum's cob's lump is quite distended and hanging down. My horse's is a solid, hard handful sized lump with heat thats projecting out of his chest and not drooping.

No pus, oozing and they are OK with the lumps being gently palpated.

Will obviously call the vet first thing tomorrow for advice if the lumps remain, or sooner if they worsen etc.

Meanwhile just wondering if anyone has any advice to help dispel the lumps. Hot/cold cloth? Massage? More handwalking? They are all in just now because of heat and flies again.

Even my last horse who reacted was back to normal in just over 24hrs.

Both horses are older and had annual vaccinations without any reactions before. Just strange that they've both had them this time.

 

[Red-1]

I have had a few with reactions that just turn into a floppy boob and then go but one where the chest got an abscess. It was a real mess, took ages with daily flushing. The hole was huge!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Once in awhile my horse will get a boob from a vaccination. It's usually gone in 2 days or so. I still turnout and lightly exercise him at the walk, mainly, to make sure he gets some movement, and he seems to be ok with this.

The boob doesn't appear to cause much discomfort.

 

[tda]

Yep, one of mine once got a floppy boob swelling I left it alone and had gone in a couple of days (living out)

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Sorry to read this, the only time B had a reaction in chest was in late June in a heatwave. Danilon for 48 hrs helped (I think, on vets advice) it go down and exercise. I prefer chest jab as at least they can still poddle around eating from the ground if they do have a reaction.
Since then, I moved jabs to mid winter and every time she has one, I leave her out for 2 nights 24/7 to move around.
Hope they go down soon x

 

[TPO]

Thanks for the replies ?

I know why the vet prefers the chest and it makes sense but I've never had a neck reaction. I am wondering if the heat is playing a part too because its strange for them both to have a reaction.

The one time I had a chest reaction in a previous horse it went down quicker than this. So mild panic. Definitely no signs of abscessing.

Thanks again

 

[PapaverFollis]

Having seen a couple have reactions to a jab in the neck I always opt for chest now. Just because a reaction in the chest seems to be a boob that doesnt bother them too much, but in the neck seems to be being unable to move and looking very sorry for themselves!

Still a worry that they aren't going down. I think it'll most likely be fine and just resolve. I'd be tempted to apply an ice pack for 10 minutes a few times just so I felt like I was doing something. And movement is probably helpful. I'd also call the vet tomorrow for advice and to report the reaction. Weird that they've both reacted. Could the vet have not got it in quite the right place I wonder? ? Not sure if that is a thing.

 

[Reacher]

Mr H had one in chest on Thursday - and got a floppy boob. I asked for chest as last time he had a large lump on his neck. I gave him some bute and it is improved today.

 

[jnb]

Make sure you report back to bet as it could be a bad batch...if you need vet treatment due to adverse reaction to a vacc, your vet can claim it from the drug co.
I know as my old cob reacted severely to flu vacc (Equip and Prevac-T) and had to have the other brand (name escapes me) plus finadine on the day of the jab and bute the day before and 3 days after.

 

[Reacher]

Mr H had one in chest on Thursday - and got a floppy boob. I asked for chest as last time he had a large lump on his neck. I gave him some bute and it is improved today.

Actually the floppy boob is smaller but there is a hard lump inside.
It doesn’t seem to bother him like the lump on the neck did.

 

[spacefaer]

Mine have reacted to the combined flu/Tet. I don't remember any ever reacting to the single flu.
My vet has advised hot/cold compresses in the past if I'm worried but tbf, they've always gone down over time with turnout and exercise. Think the longest lasting lump was about a week

 

[TPO]

Chips is better. Its smaller and less heat but still hard.

Bailey's is worse and he's now lame/sore on new fore (was jagged in left pec). I've given him 2 bute but he's a fussy beggar so only about 1 actually into him.

They're all back out now that it's cooler and flies are slightly less in numbers. I'll phone the vets tomorrow .owning regardless to report the reactions and get advice if Bailey is no better.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[M1lbie]

Mine reacted badly to a flu and tetanus jab this year, never had a reaction before, swelling with heat on chest which took more than a few days to go down and was left with a small hard lump which took a couple of weeks to go, he lives out 24/7, also had a colic bout two days after the jab which seemed a bit coincidental as he’d never coliced before or since and had no management changes.

 

[jnb]

To reiterate - please please ALL reactions report to your vet as they will feedback to the drug co and prevent a "bad" batch making more horses suffer.
It's the adjutant (?) the horse reacts to not the actual vaccination

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Mine have reacted like this every time they have the combined flu and tetanus jabs…I was told it was due to carrier fluid. It takes over a week for swelling to go down and I give Bute on vets advice and cold hose. I let the vet know every time so they make a note of the batch but nothing is done to help for the next time.

 

[ThreeFurs]

I've been giving Pentosan IM [cartrophen] to my retiree for 10 years, mainly in alternating pecs, and, with my other horse, who sadly had to be pts from IBD last month, it was dexamethasone, every other day, either neck or pec over the last seven months. Neither have had issues, but its an easily absorbed drug and different to vaccine.

I prefer pec as its a smaller muscle, but its a more palpable one, so less hurties, according to some. And, as others have posted, if there is a reaction, IM in this site [pec] causes less issues for continued grazing/head down etc.

However, having done hundreds of IM injections in the pectorals on the second horse, he did get one swelling reaction, like yours, [a 'boob'] and that was a fault of my technique, so totally my doing. I pulled the needle out at a different angle to how I went in, and that can injure tissue. He was okay after a few days. But you need to go out, exactly as you go in. So totes my fault, but I won't make the same mistake again.

Ii mean, horse vets give injections 1,000 times a day. Their technique is usually perfect. But a horse might flinch, or twitch, or anything, an IM carries some risk. But normally the horse's immune system, in combo with a bit of movement helps.

 

[TPO]

I don't think it was technique simply because both horses have reacted and its the same vet that jags my horse all the time.

I've called the surgery to report their reactions and the receptionist said that there have been a few calls like this recently. Perhaps it is a batch issue?

I've emailed in the pictures and the receptionist is going to speak with thr vet when he's free and get him to call as he'll likely want to visit.

Thanks for the replies

 

[ThreeFurs]

ok, sounds like a batch issue.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Happened to my old boy when he was injected in the chest; had always been done in the neck before so no idea why it was in the chest.

It was swollen for a few days I seem to remember, but did go down eventually.

 

[GoldenWillow]

I get my cob jabbed in the chest since he had a bad reaction with one in his neck one year, after previously being fine for them. Even in his chest he'll usually get some kind of swelling, sometimes just a little, sometimes warm and last year a large hot swelling that lasted for six days although started improving after three days. He gets bute and never seems to be particularly sore on it. It seems random to how he'll react and not linked to whether it's flu + tet or just flu.

 

[TPO]

Vet has been and is a bit stumped as to why they both reacted.

Chip is almost back to normal but Bailey is still really swollen.

Bails got an anti- inflammatory/painkiller jag and he's to go onto one bute a day from tomorrow. He's also to get handwalked 3x a day for 15mins alongside his usual turnout.

There are plans in place for next year's vaccinations but just need to get this one resolved first

 

[Reacher]

Mine still has a hard lump. I can report it to the vets but don’t know if they will be interested.

(Mine was only due a flu jab but apparently they couldn’t get hold of any of the single flu !)

 

[Reacher]

Vet has been and is a bit stumped as to why they both reacted.

Chip is almost back to normal but Bailey is still really swollen.

Bails got an anti- inflammatory/painkiller jag and he's to go onto one bute a day from tomorrow. He's also to get handwalked 3x a day for 15mins alongside his usual turnout.

There are plans in place for next year's vaccinations but just need to get this one resolved first

Are they going to try a different brand?

 

[TPO]

Are they going to try a different brand?

Yeah and bute before, during and after. The brand used is the "gentlest" brand that tends not to cause any reactions. So not really sure what's gone on

He said that a small hard lump might form and to get him back if it does as that's possibly an abscess. He said it might take 6wks for an abscess to form

Hoping that it doesn't come to that!

 

[Reacher]

Yeah and bute before, during and after. The brand used is the "gentlest" brand that tends not to cause any reactions. So not really sure what's gone on

He said that a small hard lump might form and to get him back if it does as that's possibly an abscess. He said it might take 6wks for an abscess to form

Hoping that it doesn't come to that!

Hopefully not.

Thanks for the info, i’ll keep an eye on it.

 

[Regandal]

My horse reacted to the jab in his neck - large swelling. Next year, given in the chest, swelled again and went on to abscess. He now gets them in the rump, under nsaid cover, and if it’s a year for combined they are split over 6 weeks. Still covered with Danilon starting the day before. Vet reckons he’s just ultra sensitive.

 

[TPO]

That sounds like a palaver Regandal but worth it to avoid abcessing.

Neither have had reactions before and especially not for this length of time.

 

[GreyDot]

My horse reacted to the jab in his neck - large swelling. Next year, given in the chest, swelled again and went on to abscess. He now gets them in the rump, under nsaid cover, and if it’s a year for combined they are split over 6 weeks. Still covered with Danilon starting the day before. Vet reckons he’s just ultra sensitive.

Mine is the same. Reacts every time and I always reported it. Now we are on a split regime and lovely vet only charges one call-out fee for the two visits. Since then, no bad reaction, although I do give him Danilon the day before and the day of the vax and as much turnout as possible, plus in hand walking and cold hosing the injection site.

 

[Reacher]

I rang the vet to report the reaction my horse had and receptionist said she would make a note in his records but didn’t pass message on to the vet!

He was only supposed to be having a flu jab but got the combined as they couldn’t get hold of the single flu! I’m going to ring vet back and ask for a plan for next time.

 

[Reacher]

PS the have only ever used Proteq Flu - I don’t know what other brands are available?