Reaction to vaccinations (in chest)

[TPO]

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

It was Proteq that mine have always had too. My vet said it was the least reactive* brand.

*that it causes the least reactions, least "offensive" vaccine. I just can't remember his exact wording or even what word I mean!

 

[BronsonNutter]

My preference is to vaccinate in the chest, as although you get more horses form a bit of swelling they're very rarely overly sore with it. I think they swell more there as there's less muscle movement and gravity allows fluid to build up, unlike the neck or hind quarters which are constantly moving. Have had a few reactions in the neck that haven't been very pleasant for the horse, very stiff/sore/miserable. In an ideal world I'd vaccinate everything in the hind quarters but I like my head being attached to my shoulders.

If your horse has a vaccine reaction then bute/danilon (phone vet for a dose if you're unsure), cold hosing or icepacking, gentle movement and placing everything at a suitable height for them (e.g. raised water buckers and hay manger if they've been injected in the neck) are always ideal. And please do let us know so we can report it!

 

[Reacher]

My preference is to vaccinate in the chest, as although you get more horses form a bit of swelling they're very rarely overly sore with it. I think they swell more there as there's less muscle movement and gravity allows fluid to build up, unlike the neck or hind quarters which are constantly moving. Have had a few reactions in the neck that haven't been very pleasant for the horse, very stiff/sore/miserable. In an ideal world I'd vaccinate everything in the hind quarters but I like my head being attached to my shoulders.

If your horse has a vaccine reaction then bute/danilon (phone vet for a dose if you're unsure), cold hosing or icepacking, gentle movement and placing everything at a suitable height for them (e.g. raised water buckers and hay manger if they've been injected in the neck) are always ideal. And please do let us know so we can report it!

Have reported it and vet is going to ring back today.

A few years ago, a few hours after the vaccination the horse acted very strangely, seemed to be staggering when I tried to bring in from field, like he was drunk! Reported to the vet but he wasn’t very interested. Is that something you have come across?

 

[jnb]

Have reported it and vet is going to ring back today.

A few years ago, a few hours after the vaccination the horse acted very strangely, seemed to be staggering when I tried to bring in from field, like he was drunk! Reported to the vet but he wasn’t very interested. Is that something you have come across?

Yes - my cob reacted slightly for about 3 years then on the 4th year, I went to fetch him in from the field and he didn't come to me, when I went over to him he could hardly walk and was almost plaiting his legs as I led him in. I had to avoid the usual cobbled lane as I was terrified he'd fall. He could hardly move when I called then (weekend) vet out who was initially dismissive and thought I was another snowflake owner until he saw him.
Finadine shot and 2 bute a day for 3 days and plenty of sloppy feeds, cold compress on the jab site.
After that we switched brands but he still reacted, switched to a 3rd and bute the day before plus finadine on the day and bute 3 days after & a week off after each jab and we just about got through it.

 

[Reacher]

Yes - my cob reacted slightly for about 3 years then on the 4th year, I went to fetch him in from the field and he didn't come to me, when I went over to him he could hardly walk and was almost plaiting his legs as I led him in. I had to avoid the usual cobbled lane as I was terrified he'd fall. He could hardly move when I called then (weekend) vet out who was initially dismissive and thought I was another snowflake owner until he saw him.
Finadine shot and 2 bute a day for 3 days and plenty of sloppy feeds, cold compress on the jab site.
After that we switched brands but he still reacted, switched to a 3rd and bute the day before plus finadine on the day and bute 3 days after & a week off after each jab and we just about got through it.

Thanks that’s useful to know.

I’ve not heard of finadine

 

[Surbie]

Mine has reacted to a shot in the neck (large swelling, stiff neck) and to one in the chest (yukky abcess that needed to be opened and drained - impressive amounts of pus!) and has since only been jabbed in the bottom. No reaction there so far - all of these were Proteq.

It's now on his notes so shouldn't happen again even if I am not there when he is done.

 

[Birker2020]

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

Agree. Our vet used a strangles vaccine on a good third of the horses on the yard. Mine didn't have the vaccination as he was on antibiotics at the time, thank God. A lot of the horses reacted quite badly to the vaccine, and within a few hours.

I walked down the yard aisles and despite me being at work when the horses were vaccinated I could tell immediately by looking through the stable bars which horses had been vaccinated and what horses hadn't just by their demeanour. Their symptoms ranged from dull, listless, not eating, very quiet and one had colic which was remedied easily enough, another horse, a mare ended up with an enlarged heart which came about in the days following the vaccine. The vet contacted the drug manufacturer and the girl whose horse had to have ECG's and goodness knows what else had her vets bills paid by the drug company.

The vet said he'd never administer another strangles vaccine again. I certainly wouldn't use the vaccine if I was offered if for my horse. I forget what company it was now, it was one of the big pharamceutical companies. It was all the same batch.

 

[Birker2020]

Thanks that’s useful to know.

I’ve not heard of finadine

Its Finadyne. Its for the alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculo-skeletal disorders and for the alleviation of visceral pain associated with colic.
It was used to stabilise my horse that was later diagnosed with wobblers. The vet stabilised him prior to transport to hospital for his ataxia.

 

[Britestar]

I get a prescription from the vet for Proteq as they only use Equilis Prequenza.
I chose that the the least offensive as well, as have a couple of reactors.

 

[TPO]

I get a prescription from the vet for Proteq as they only use Equilis Prequenza.
I chose that the the least offensive as well, as have a couple of reactors.

Yeah that's what vet said about it so was surprised how they've both reacted. The heat might have had something to do with it too.