worried !!! tetnus !!!

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debs_07

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right ! been up to feed my horse and found a nail sticking out of her coranary band !!! screamed !!! and ran for help !! when i came back to my stable with help we tried to pull it out .. it came out but she flinched ... there was no blood on the nail and wasnt very thick and had only gone in a fraction of an inch... im sooooo worried as she is not upto date with tet injections ... i squirted the hole with a shringe of hibi scrub and water and sprayed purple spray on it after ... ive rang my vet and hes copming out first thing tomorrow morning ... he mentioned tetnus serum and anibiotics ... im going out my head here .. worried sick .. any advice ? simular stories ? positive outcomes ?

thanks xx
 
Why is your horse not up to date with tetanus - really no excuse for it. Tomorrow your vet will give you horse a version that is used after a cut is recieved - more than likely you will be fine - more luck than judgement though!
 
Think positive nothing gained from worring now and regards not having tetnus my horse doesnt have jabs atm as had wait for the passport to come through. Hes booked in for week after next. I do know plenty of owners who choose not to jab there ponies and compete bsja. . I know of one pony whos owners didnt know about jabs *although the pony was well looking after and loved* The pony was found one day very ill although they are un sure about how she got ill *must been a small cut or some thing* The vet did want her put down as chances very small the owners dicided go through anyhow and she made a lucy full recovery my only experience.
 
If your horse is not up to date on the Tet antitoxin vaccine your vet can administer an immediate acting but not long lasting Tet antibody shot.
The first one will take about 2 weeks to take effect and last a year to protect your horse. The second will work imediatley and hopefully prevent infection from an exposure. Good luck. tet is almost always fatal and can be so easilly prevented. Please make sure your vet gives you the yearly vaccine as well. It is such an easy thing to do and very inexpensive.
 
Debs used to livery on a riding school and horses were always getting cuts and scrapes(some really bad),they didn't get tet vac and none of them ever suffered from tetanus as far as I am aware.If vet came he would give tet jag along side antibio jag or whatever he treated with.But I think this tet jag does not replace your normal vacs so wouldn't cover the next 2 yrs,think is more a short lasting one.Someone please correct me if wrong cos all mine at least have tets so haven't come across situation for ages so not sure if I remember correctly!!.
 
I do both. I give the yearly and if I notice a wound they get the back up shot. The problem with relying on the back up shot is that you run the risk of missing an exposure. Some horses out in the filed do not get looked over from top to bottom every day. better safe than sorry, but very glad she is concerned and taking care of it now. I know many people that do not keep on top of thier shots and wormings.. It takes guts to admit it and come on here and ask for help. I truly think her heart and concern is in the right plvce.
 
i always vaccinate my neds .. i only got this mare 2 days before christmas and it been 1 thing after another ( life ) that i just didnt get round to it ... sods law !!! thanks guys for advice ... and stories .. been really helpful .. i will update in a weeks time hopefully with good news !

xxxx
 
If the horse has had a tetanus in the last 18 months to 2 years then it will probably be okay. The tetanus jab lasts waaaay longer than the year some vets would have us think.

Good luck.
 
was the wound dirty or clean? I gashed my leg on a barbed wire fence last year and was told that didn't need a tetanus shot because the wound wasn't dirty and thats what carries the infection.
 
my horsey had a large wound to frog area (feed manger handle came off and stuck into frog v.deep and nasty) and had to poultice for 10 days - but came sound and no probs. Had tet with last owner and due in March, so don't worry - just keep clean and poultice if concerened for a few days to see if any "gunk" comes out. (jus to be on safe side?)
 
tetanus lives in the soil and is very common in most parts of the UK which is why we vaccinate against it.It doesn't matter if the cut is clean or dirty as due to horses coming into constant contact with the dirt when they graze they are more likely to get it than we are.The tetanus vaccination is different than the tetanus shot they give after an injury to a horse that is not vaccinated and whereas the vaccination lasts 2 years the shot will only give short term protection killing the tetanus germ should it get into the system.
 
Requirement for Tetanus jabs is one primary injection, second one 28 days later, though often done at 21 days to tie in with second flu vac when people are in a hurry to get 'legal' flu cover. Then a booster every two years.
 
If she has been fully vaccinated against tetanus before - I would not panic too much - as it has now been found that tetanus immunity lasts much longer than it was previously thought to. I think in humans - it is now only necessary to have it every ten years or so.

I would poultice the wound straight away - as its best to keep a puncture wound open to stop infection being locked in.
 
I agree that tetanus jabs should be kept up to date. I had an incident where I couldnt find my vet cert, but was sure horse was upto date with jabs. Vet gave her another jab to cover tetanus just in case. Cost another jab as found cert next day!!She had been covered. Should be ok if you get vet to jab for tet tomorrow. But keep them up to date in future!
 
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My shetland only has tetanus and he only needs a booster every two years.

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Yup, 2 years for tetanus. Thats all mine have.
 
my mate lost her horse to tetanus, very horrific to see, she had a hugggge vet bill, insurance didnt cover, she learnt a very hard lesson
 
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