WHEN VACINATIONS GO WRONG!!!

OMG it is awfull, before all that puss is still coming out does it not mean that there is still a foreign body in there somewhere??? Heres some pictures of my horses leg that he did when he decided he wanted to bank a pig arc roof, when it finally decided to heal it took about 6months, I used cut and heal spray as he wouldn't keep a bandage on it and attacked it every chance!

Good luck and ~I hope it heals well.

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I've only ever seen this type of reaction to a vaccine when its been given in the chest, i'm sure it happens elsewhere but I've never heard of it. I won't let the vet vaccinate into the chest of mine.
 
Good grief, what a horrific injury. I wish you had put a warning on the top of your post as I nearly fainted when I saw that!!! Just shows the power of healing though.
 
OMG, I'm horrified at that leg, you must have been absolutely distraught when you saw that. It's healed amazingly though - is he sound?

My horse has very bad scars down his legs, much worse than on your horse, which makes me wonder just how bad my horse's injuries were!

hmoses - try to stay strong, that pic of your horse's chest looks awful, but if the vet is happy with its progress, then that's great. These things often do look really manky when in fact they are healing well. Please keep us updated, and best wishes to you and your horse for a speedy recovery.
 
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But I'm annoyed that vets don't wipe an injection site with antiseptic before injecting. It takes 2 seconds and could prevent the horror of what I've been through. I will be writing a very strongly worded letter to the practice and hope that they will at least pay the excess on my insurance. All I wanted was a flu jab
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I think you may have to put this one down to experience. As with all medical procedures, very rarely something will go wrong. It is impossible to predict.

Unless the injection site is clipped, scrubbed and properly sterilised, there will always be a small risk of infection. Wiping the area would only clean the surface of the coat and not remove the risk.

I'd certainly speak to the vets but I'd not be accusing them of anything, it is one of the risks of vaccinations and you have been unlucky.

Just my 2p worth!
 
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But I'm annoyed that vets don't wipe an injection site with antiseptic before injecting. It takes 2 seconds and could prevent the horror of what I've been through. I will be writing a very strongly worded letter to the practice and hope that they will at least pay the excess on my insurance. All I wanted was a flu jab
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I think you may have to put this one down to experience. As with all medical procedures, very rarely something will go wrong. It is impossible to predict.

Unless the injection site is clipped, scrubbed and properly sterilised, there will always be a small risk of infection. Wiping the area would only clean the surface of the coat and not remove the risk.



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Seconding this..
This is just a side effect of the treatment that you were unlucky enough to have happen to you...blaming the vet for not cliping and disinfecting your show horse before a routine injection seems a bit mad....
 
Ok, so I'm not a vet and didn't realise that wiping it wouldn't make any difference. Humans are always wiped and I didn't think a thin summer coat would stop an antiseptic wipe getting through to the skin. Sorry.

'just a side effect'????????? You make it sound incidental.
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This is the worst thing I've ever had to deal with and I hope nobody else that I know ever has to go through it.

The patient is a little better today. We're struggling with how to keep dressings on and keep flies off
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This is EXACTLY what happened to my gelding several years ago! My vet was excellent and he contacted the vaccination manufacturers, and they paid for ALL treatment costs. The vet said it was a true reaction (but rare) reaction, I was just glad he vaccinated him in the brisket and not the neck! When the abcess burst on my gelding it didn't come out completely and he went potty, he had to be sedated and have it cut out, then I had to keep the HUGE hole clean, I could fit my hand in it with my fingers spread open!!!! Ever since then my gelding has had his vaccination in his bum (at vets advise) just incase he reacts again!!
I have a mare that reacts as well, she get swellings inside her armpits, she reacts to every single brand so now, she also get her jab in her bum, swiftly followed by a few days of bute and *touch wood* since we have been doing that she hasn't had the swellings!!
Good luck with his treatment, you will be surprised at how well it heals, can't see my horses can just feel a slight thickening in the skin of his brisket... and your vet should be speaking to the manufacturer not putting it on your insurance!!
 
I think you are lucky that it is on the chest because at least it can drain. My friends abscess was on the neck, her vet treated it after and didn't charge her. I am sure your insurance will want to investigate and may put exclusions on your policy . I would be speaking to your insurance now and asking if you have a case for not being able to use your horse especially as they the vet didn't clean the site first.
Healing vibes and a hug for you and the lovely Skewbald one [who I know]
 
OOOOOOOOOps!!! Really sorry!! Only when youv'e said that I realised that I should have put a HUGE warning at top of page, as I am so used to looking at them it doesn't really bother me anymore! Again, my apologies
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Distraught wasn't the word!!! I almost keeled over but luckily had a good neighbour who helped me catch him! Was he lame?? NEVER! Seriously this horse is the biggest wimp out there and he was trotting around field with his tail over his back merrily chasing the sheep (one of which is blind!!) and I couldn't catch him!! He was like "woohoo I got away from ya!" to the horse that chased him! He has never been lame on it and it happened when he was two he is now 4 and just been backed and going great, I have no idea what the future holds for him or how his leg will stand upto work as he had to have a muscle amputated but so far he is doing great and loveing every moment of haveing a job the silly fool that he is!!
 
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Ok, so I'm not a vet and didn't realise that wiping it wouldn't make any difference. Humans are always wiped and I didn't think a thin summer coat would stop an antiseptic wipe getting through to the skin. Sorry.

'just a side effect'????????? You make it sound incidental.
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This is the worst thing I've ever had to deal with and I hope nobody else that I know ever has to go through it.

The patient is a little better today. We're struggling with how to keep dressings on and keep flies off
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I was not trying to make it sound trivial it at all, it is a really nasty wound. I was just saying that it is probably not the vets fault and suggesting you think twice before kicking up a stink and blaming them for it. Work with them and possibly the vaccine manufacturer and accept it is a risk of the procedure.
 
no the vet is not to blame - sorry, but there is a risk with all procedures like this, you are puncturing the skin which can let in infection, poor lad though, what a horrible thing to happen.
 
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The patient is a little better today. We're struggling with how to keep dressings on and keep flies off
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Poor boy - that is really horrid!!

fwiw, one of my vets always vaccs in the chest, the other in the neck
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regards keeping dressings on - would one of those stretchy "wrestler suits" help? - like a rug bib thing
wrestler suit!
 
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Thats awful but ive never heard of vaccinations been given in the chest??
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Me either?!

One of mine had an acsess on the same spot last year (not caused by vacc though!) - it healed really well after it had drained. That looks damn sore though!

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My cob doesnt do needles and he often gets them in his chest or rump - if you go near neck he just tries to jump on you!
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Horses can be jabbed in the chest, but not quite that high!
Re the healing, I knew a horse with a similar thing (same place but from a collision). The owner made him a bib type thing that attached to a roller, and filled it with honey (jars and jars). I never saw it but she said it worked miracles, and I would trust her word.
 
Poor wee chap - a real ugly mess. I've seen it happen a couple of times over the years - it's amazing you don't see more when many injections are given without clipping hair away first and sterilising the skin with meths.

Active Manuka Honey will work wonders on the wound - see the photos below of a friends horse that crashed the gate post. His shoulder loked like your for a while - The injury went from raw through stitches bursting and pus to healed enough to ride again in less than 5 weeks.

Please folks do remember that Hibiscrub must not be used on open wounds - it is for sterilising unbroken skin surfaces - eg surgeons hands prior to surgery.

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Ay one time vets always rubbed the area with cotton wool soaked in meths - but this seems to be a thing of the past!

Vets often inject into the chest - especially if the horse has to have several days of antibiotic injections.
 
We're certainly getting some 'interesting' pics on this thread! But its nice to know that (hopefully) they heal so well.

Bobby is fine in himself but I'm still having a nightmare with the dressings. I've tried various things and tonight I'm going to try a snuggy hood which has a strap that goes between the legs. I've not been able to do this before for fear of putting too much pressure on the wound but I need the dressing to be against it now, and staying there, whereas up to now its been very hit and miss. We did try a bossy bib, which is the anti rug rub thing but he shredded it overnight the first time he wore it
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The wound looks smaller and healing. I'll put up a pic at the weekend unless the skewbald one beats me to it
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It can happen in any injection site - it isnt site specific.
It is better for a vet to inject in the chest as if an abcess forms it can drain away and heal much better/quicker, usually with less of a scar etc.
 
Slather it with Active Manuka Honey and you won't need to put a dressing on it. - it will dribble but the drainage is good.
You will need to by it from a health food shop - the higher the rating of the honey the better.

Rub plenty of vaseline on his legs and below the wound to protect the skin from damage due to the discharge.
 
OMG poor boy.

I have to say that this happened to a friend's horse years ago and is more common than you would think, it should heal well eventually but is horrendous for both horse and owner at the time.

Vets regularly vaccinate in the chest, this is not the reason for the abscess, they will also use the rump.

Have you checked your insurance policy? I know at one time mine stated that reactions to innoculations were not covered. Whatever the case, I do think that either the vet or the pharmaceutical company are responsible and for your vet to say your insurance will cover it is passing the buck and extremely unfair.

Here's wishing a speedy recovery for this lovely boy.
 
Hi hmoses, I agree, some very interesting pics! Glad I've had lunch, lol!

What about using a show bib for your boy, one size bigger than he would normally take? Line it with a puppy training pad, or spill sheet (with the absorbent side facing in) and tack it to the bib with stitches. A bit of a hassle, but it would keep the flies off and still allow air to get in. Hope he heals quickly - I imagine it's a logistical nightmare!
 
Hi, I had a similar thing with one of my horses a few years ago but his was caused by a hawthorn bush. You couldn't see the point where it pricked him and his shoulder just swelled up to the point I thought he had dislocated it!
When the abcess popped it went exactly like your boy's.

I had a summer sheet and attached a big piece of wadding (ask your vet, they use it in surgery) using ducktape, on the inside. Changed it twice a day and this kept it clean and fly free and he couldn't pull it off.
Yours might be tricky though as its dead centre wereas mine was to the right.

We cold hosed it out everyday and then sorry, I can't remember what we put in it (something like honey!).
It healed to nothing - quite amazing. Once he was comfortable we hacked out to aid the drainage and scared the neighbourhood!
 
Hiya,

Hows your horses chest these days??? Are you managing to keep it covered and fly free??? Don't know if its of any help to you I had the horse with the badly cut leg, I posted pictures of it, to be honest I tried everything I could think of to stop him from going at it I almost had him immobilised with a neck crib on and hobbles(only in the stable) to try and stop him from lifting his leg up to tear bandages off so finally I gave up sprayed it with Cut and Heal (amazing stuff) and for some reason the flies don't go near it, it stinks and put him out an dhe left his leg alone as soon as he was out with this stuff on, I buy it from my vets but have seen it for sale in tack shops, I was just about pulling my hair out, I would rebandage the leg and within two minutes he was tearing at the bandages so darn frustrating, spoke to my vet and she agreed that it was probably not vwery practical but was for the best and so it was! Good luck and please keep us up todate on how he is!!
 
The REASON for vaccinating in the chest is so that if reactions/absess occur they can drain easily - an abcess on the neck is far more serious. Most racing yards will vaccinate in he chest all the time.
It IS a side effect/rxn to vaccination that you accept when you ask for your horse to be vaccinnated.
Alcohol swabbing of the skin does not disinfect it - its done to look good and because it gives owners peace of mind. A full scrub would be required otherwise - and its been proven unnecessary for vaccines in vet research. Does your dog get scrubbed and swabbed before every vaccine? - i thought not.
Its not your vets fault, its the risk you accept when you ask for a vaccination.
I saw a very similar one in a racehorse last year - she was crippled for 5 days until it could be lanced. Took no time for her to recover fully(8 days til ridden exercise from the time it was lanced)-mind you lancing it meant therewas only a small opening - about the sizeof a pound coin but very very deep. We lathered it in vaseline. Cold hose 4 times daily for 10mins if possible and hand walk for ten mins twice daily to prevent the skin from tightening too much.Remove the scabs daily with warm water and clean the wound. Ideally Id have covered it for the first 24hrs, then left it open to drain and dry out.
Also, a "bad batch" of vaccines is rarely the cause - its just a reaction either to the vaccine or to dirt introduced from the skin or hair.
 
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