Vaccination gone wrong - huge vet bill

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Leggy56

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Hi Is there anyone out there has had this happen to them. My horse was recently vaccinated with his ProtequFlu-TE (tetanus) injection and he had a reaction within 24 hours which came in the form of mild 'lock-jaw'. He has had this injection on many occasions (he is 18 years old) and this is the first time he has reacted this way. The symptons looked painful and he could not lower his neck to eat or swing from side to side - most unfortable for the ol' man.
Anyway I immediately re-called the vet and he was treated with an anti-inflamatory and given three days paste syringe to administer. All was well and he has fully recovered. However the vet bill when it came charged me with all the treatment with no consultation as to who was responsible.
Could it have been a 'bad' batch or a 'dirty' needle - should I investigate the charges or 'roll-over' and pay for something that should never have happened.
Anyone ?????
 
Sounds like an unsual immune reaction to the tetanus part of the injection, which unfortunately is one of those things rather than obviously due to negligence. If your horse had no history and was fit and healthy when examined prior to the injection being administered, then the vet cannot be held responsible for an adverse reaction; and remember it is a rare but possible foreseen event rather than one the vet intended. As this reaction is likely to be rare he/she would also be under no legal obligation to warn of this possible side effect.

Make sure that the vet reports the reaction so the batch can be flagged up if any other horses have problems.
 
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Investigate and make complaint to the manufacturer. If its not stored correctly or administered incorrectly any vaccine can cause problems. Had similar in dogs manufacturer paid my bill.
 
This hasn't fortunately happened to my own horse but a friend had a similar experience when her mare was vaccinated last year. The Vet in question came back out immediately and treated friends mare for the symptoms, made a note of the reaction and the batch number of the vaccine and recommended that as the horse was 15+ that she would not need any further tetnus injections. He told us he would be writing to the supplier of the vaccine as it was procedure to let them know of adverse reactions. I also clearly remember that he didn't charge anything for that visit or the treatment given. The original charge for the vaccination still stood though.
Not sure what to advise but I might be queerying the bill if I were in your shoes.
 
horseloaner said:
Investigate and make complaint to the manufacturer. If its not stored correctly or administered incorrectly any vaccine can cause problems. Had similar in dogs manufacturer paid my bill.
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This exactly. You can't assume that the vet is in the wrong here. A similar thing happened to a horse of mine, and she was never vaccinated in the neck again - always the bottom.
 
It is possible that it is an allergic reaction that may have devolped over time each time he was vaccinated, first with a small unnoticeable reaction, then next time a little more, then a full blown reaction. Like a wasp/bee sting in people for instance, it may only be a small reaction the first time stung, then more the next time, then a full nasty reaction another time. If it was an allergic reaction from your horse then the Vet was not responsible & you need to pay for the treatment. Just a thought, I certainly wouldn't vaccinate Tetanus again (anyway the vaccine lasts for several years) if I was in your position.
 
Are you sure its the "same" vacination, vets do change what manufacturer vacs that they use so you might not have had the same brand. Personally refer back to the manufacture with all details and invoices. You will find the batch number of the vaccine in your passport. Good luck.
 
I have had two adverse reactions- but was fobbed off both times with the vets saying it was not connected.

It was the start of the big lads problems - boosters on Thursday - dog lame on the Friday with "laminitus" - the horse was on box rest at the time !

Senna - injected on the Friday, following day she was not right, and then she just went down hill and then picked up what appears to be strangles - jury still out on this !

I really do think we are over inoculating our horses, and once mine get to an age when they will not be going off the yard - as in the case of the big lad i will not have the flu jab - i think there are more reactions than we know of and many get covered up by the vets and like i say, we get fobbed off and baffled with their vet speak
 
carthorse said:
My friends horse got a terrible abscess on the injection site. Her vet never charged her for treating it
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An abcess to the injection site is different to what sounds like an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

OP - irrespective of who pays you must report this to the company that manufactures the vaccine, liaise with your vet for the batch number. Your vet isn't liable to give you free treatment but I suspect you'll be refunded by the manufacturer.
 
Is it more likely the tetanus or flu that causing the reaction then? Only asking because I know there was a thing years back about the flu jab affecting horses. My boy is rising 4 and agreed with my vet he would have only tetanus up until now and then the flu jab next spring. I did ask my vet and he said the flu jab in generally safe now but is it that one that causes the reaction?
 
Nickles1973 said:
This hasn't fortunately happened to my own horse but a friend had a similar experience when her mare was vaccinated last year. The Vet in question came back out immediately and treated friends mare for the symptoms, made a note of the reaction and the batch number of the vaccine and recommended that as the horse was 15+ that she would not need any further tetanus injections.
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This is interesting. So if a horse has been vaccinated annually for tetanus, after how many years is it no longer necessary? Is there a determined age?
 
Oddly enough I have JUST made an appointment for my mare to be done....... but using a different brand from the last TWO years as she had reactions to both the flu and then the flu/tet the following year (was made by the same company).

I did some research on here and was advised it is the "glue type agent" which holds the vaccine together which horses and humans can react too.

Not the vets fault I'm afraid as mine had her 1st jab in the neck and the 2nd in her chest. Hopefully the change of supplier may do the trick but I will be armed with bute for her just in case..
 
My friends horse has just had a similar sounding experience. In her case Bute and steroids have been required. The horse could not bend it's neck to graze etc due to stiffness and was in a really bad way (still not duly recovered over a week later). Following my researching it on this forum actually her vet has reported the reaction to the manufacturers and they have agreed to cover her vets bill.
 
ihatework said:
An abcess to the injection site is different to what sounds like an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

OP - irrespective of who pays you must report this to the company that manufactures the vaccine, liaise with your vet for the batch number. Your vet isn't liable to give you free treatment but I suspect you'll be refunded by the manufacturer.
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agreed :)
 
Just over a year ago I had three of my horses vaccinated with the combined vaccine and they all had a reaction. They all had horrendous swelling in the injection site, the two ponies were unable to get their heads down to graze for around 36 hours but recovered over the next few days. The TB's neck swelled so much it impended his shoulder and it then abscessed so he was pretty miserable for 10 days. The vet came out and treated him and there was no charge to me, I believe the practice then claimed the costs back from the vaccine company whilst also reporting the dodgy batch.

Notwithstanding the fact that abscessing is different from the symptoms that the OP describes, I would be pretty cross if my vet left it to me to report problems with the vaccine manufacturer and claim back resulting fees.

FWIW I now have all my horses vaccinated in the backside, watching a horse who unable to put his head to the floor is horrible.
 
I had this happen with a previous horse. He was given the combined flu/tet jab into his chest. The following day he had a swelling the size of a rugby ball at the site of the injection. Rang the vet who prescribed anti-imflamatories. The next day the horse was covered in hives, was sweating and breathing rapidly. Vet came out and administered steroids which done the trick. Vet bill came to £157! The vet did say that he'd had another horse react to the same vaccine and took photos of our horse to send to manufacturer. Apparently there were a total of 10 horses that had reacted to the same batch of vaccine and the manufacturer paid off the vets bill for our horse :)
 
One of mine always reacts badly to his jabs.....not locally in that he gets an abscess, but within hours he stiffens up, walks crab-wise and cannot get his head down to graze. Thats just how his immune system responds....and its to tet and flu, seperate and combined and different brands. makes no difference if he's jabbed in the neck or the ass.

He's just goddam awkward.

Vet gives me danilon to pre-empt. It wears off in a couple of days. I put him in a small paddock with haynet tied to the fence and a raised water bucket.....
 
I only had my horse jabbed in the neck once - yep, stiff neck, unable to eat or drink at ground level so I just raised everything up overnight for her. It soon wore off. Back to her bum after that. I've seen several horses seem a bit off colour after their jabs so I don't think it is all that unusual. My vet suggested I didn't bother any more after my horse got into her 20s as she "had a lifetimes worth of anti tet in her and the flu jabs only mitigate the symptoms, not prevent it".
Incidentally, I had a tetanus booster in my arm which went rigid within a very short space of time.
 
Hi
Thanks everyone - good advice. I do ony have Tet jab every two years but might investigate not having as he is an older horse. I have spoken to my vet in the past about jabs in the bottom and he was not keen as if there is a reaction it is hard to 'drain' whereas its easier from the neck.
Anyway have chatted to my vet re my concerns and they have said to hold fire on paying and have gone back to the drug company. Good news - although I feel they should have done that in the first place.
Happy riding .......
 
Mine being 15 and 18 are now only tentacled and not flu vacd, as per vets instruction.

Always gave vac in the breast muscle never the neck.
 
mine had a reaction this time - neck blew up - quite a few round here had the same thing - it was a change of supplier apparantly.
i was advised to give danalon for a couple of days and she was fine.
no fee for advice - had danalon anyway
 
Length of effectiveness depends on manufacturer, but is significantly longer than the two year interval. Horses and humans are both said to have acquired lifetime immunity after a certain number of vaccines. I think in humans it's 3 or 4. Certainly my vet told me that Henry's last vaccine in 2008 could be his last one. He was 16. It would have been his 4th I think.
 
With tet it is only every other year anyway so I get both of mine done for that, as I just wouldnt want to take the risk. Flu only the younger horse gets as the old horse came down with a debilitating recurring virus after flu jab and took 3 years to get over it :-O he doesnt go anywhere as he is 20 so just has tet.
 
Wish I'd asked you guys when mine had a reaction! Previous owner had lapsed on vaccs so had to start again in May and he had the most horrific reaction I'd ever seen, within hours he had a huge swelling at injection site and the next day broke out in angry angry hives all over his head, neck and chest. His temperature was sky high and tongue and nostrils were so swollen he started to struggle breathing and the vet gave him a massive dose of steroids which fortunately brought the swelling down. It took a few days for all of the swellings to go down completely, he couldn't lower his head for days graze or drink for almost a week and it took a while for him to get back to normal. Was heartbreaking seeing him so distressed and uncomfortable!

The jab was the same brand as in his passport from previously and I assumed it might have because of the break in vaccs. Altogether vet bill came to almost £200! Have the batch no. etc. of jab in his passport and photos of the reactions so am wondering whether it may be worth getting in touch with the manufacturer to see if I can claim anything back. Do you think it's a bit late 6 months later?

Haven't had his vaccs finished as general advice seems to be it's not worth it for a reaction like that but as I'm planning to affiliate him next year am not sure what to do :/
 
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