Do you give rabies vaccs to your minis?

[GlacierRidge]

He's never had a problem before, and the clinic opens in a few and I will be calling. Has anyone ever had their horses have a reaction to the shot? Magic had it in the left side of his neck on Saturday morning, and now, this morning, he's acting quite lame in the left front shoulder/leg. I can't be sure it wasn't a kick or injury, but doubtful.

He's eating fine......but obviously in pain. I'd like to give him some bute before have the vet see him, but have never had a mini issue before, therefore never had to give bute to a mini....not sure how much! He's 36", maybe 250-300 lbs.

But this is breaking my heart...thinking it's from the shot. I've had horses for 25 years, never had a shot reaction before. But when he walks, he just moves that front leg a few inches.... very frightening for me to see my little Magic like this.... calling the vet in 10 minutes.......

Angie

 

[wildoak]

YES. I had several reactions to the vaccine last year similar to what you have. I gave banamine once or twice, and they were fine within a couple of days. I will keep giving it - rabies is too big a threat - but I do monitor them more closely now for reactions. If you have banamine, it is usually a safer alternative for minis than bute.

Jan

 

[C G Minis]

Would not give bute to minis. banamine is safe for them. Good luck..........

 

[Millstone Farm]

Absolutely. We don't give it in the neck anymore and that seems to have solved the problem.

 

[Anne]

Just a thought I'll "throw" out there. We do give rabies however not every year.

More like a dog gets it every three years.

We have had those types of reactions and I have quit giving vacc in the neck. I try to do them in the am , in the butt/hip and then turn them out. Seems like being turned out to walk for the day eases any stiffness. if I give them in the evening when the horses are brought in to be fed, (we stall at night) I have MUCH more problems.

Also I have learned that most of the reactions are eliminated totally if i use Intervet vaccines instead of another popular and prevalent brand.

This is just what works for me.

These decisions are made along with my vet.

Anne

 

[GlacierRidge]

Thanks for the replies....I'm waiting for a call back. I do use intervet, however was unable to get anything other than the "other" company for rabies. Shoot....that'll teach me I guess. He is allowed to come and go as he pleases, in and out, so he can move about at will....but man, this is breaking my HEART! I guess I can't be 100% sure this is a reaction, but it's just coincidental, on the same side, and it would have to be a shoulder injury then, his leg is fine, it's his shoulder. From now on, I believe he will NOT have the shot in the neck! I have been giving the rabies every other year....none of the other minis (one mini horse and two mini donkeys) seem to have a problem. No heat, no stiffness, no pain. I have since read no bute for minis....so thanks for that!

I've never had any sort of vaccine reaction in anyone....now I completely understand how scary these can be....my heart was in my left foot..... I appreciate all the replies! Thankfully I've never had any issues with my minis up until this point. And this is heartbreaking!

Angie

 

[Tammie]

I give rabies every other year and ALWAYS in the butt and this year my gelding limped around for a week. I would literally have to drag him into the barn to eat but he ate every bite just didn't like walking. He's all better now. I think someone has a reaction every year when I give the rabies. Haven't had any problems with the 6 way or the west nile vaccinations.

Hope your guys is feeling better soon.

Tammie~

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Horses are not dogs, their immune system NEEDS the vaccine every year. You are doing them no favors by skipping a year or two between doses!

Reactions like this aren't uncommon with any vaccine and in any size animal. Hot compresses on the injection site, bute (underestimate weight), and try to alternate injection sites. Neck vaccines are the easiest, but most prone to problems. Butt shots are much, much harder but are much safer areas. Chest injections aren't the best for minis since they lack the heavier muscling of larger horses. Fort Dodge did just recently change the amount of adjunt in their vaccines, and its this part of the drug that causes the reactions. It also helps absorb the drug and get it into the horse, so its a very important part of the vaccine. Intervet's rabies vaccine is supposed to be good, but I stuck to Fort Dodge because the price was so much different ($75 for 5 doses vs $12 for five doses). I use neck injections myself, and only use Rabvac3 and Pinnicle vaccines from Fort Dodge, the rest I go elsewhere.

 

[GlacierRidge]

The vet doesn't think it's related to the vaccine. She asked if he has any trouble putting his head down to eat....no he does not....she said most horses with a reaction to a vaccination in the neck do. She thinks its an injury. However, she told me to give him a 1/4 gram of bute (I don't have banamine?) and stall him, and give him 24 hours, unless he gets worse later on. I'm kinda worried....but overall, he is in good spirits. He chooses to walk around, if it means his favorite thing in the world, food or snooping around for it.... or coming to me for some lovin'.... anyway, I'm watching him, I did give him a quarter gram of bute, but was very careful not to go over, probably went under, and he's eating like a...well, a horse. He's moving a little faster since the bute....but still trying not to move that shoulder a whole lot.

If not a reaction to the vaccine....he and our other mini must have been rough housing like usual....and something happened.....I don't know.... but just to be safe, think those vaccines will go in the rear from now on!

Angie

 

[Carolyn R]

I agree with Nathan!!!!!Don't think you are safe if you give your rabies vaccine every other year, those directions are there for a reason,.... every year, 2cc's , and no, you don't pro-rate the shot because a mini is smaller than a big horse!

Carolyn

 

[jlh]

we've had reactions from diferent horses in different years like this.

same kind I get when the flu vaccine goes in my arm, it can get warm and tender, wouldn't want to do any heavy lifting or hit it somehow for a few days. same with the horses, I wouldn't ask for a workout while sore, even tho it helps to move around at a walk.

the horses who act like they have to hang their heads look pitiful, but it passes quickly - however, it always seems like it takes the boys longer to recover. one boy was sore for several days, then when he started feeling better, he'd run around til he saw me, and then start limping on the front. trouble was, he'd switch up legs, cause he couldn't remember which side was supposed to have the ****oo.

 

[Bunnylady]

I have a mini mule that I've had for about a year. When she got her shots in Sept (one in the neck, one in the shoulder, same side) she swelled up on the neck, the shoulder, all down her leg. The vet prescribed Bute (I didn't know any better then, I do now.) The reaction was so bad, I was afraid she might have an infection, but it resolved after a few days with just the Bute. Dealing with the "broken trust" issue took longer (long story.)

She just got her shots again this past Friday. This time, with the vet's approval, I began dosing her with Banamine even before I saw any kind of reaction. She has some swelling at the injection sites, but it's nowhere near as bad as the last time. She's uncharacteristically quiet, but she's walking well, eating well, and best of all, still "talking to me!" She seems to loathe the sight of the syringe, but apparently the Banamine doesn't taste as bad as the Bute, either.

 

[GlacierRidge]

Here's what he's moving like if anyone wants to take a peek...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nVBoiYA6Ew

 

[Marty]

Hi Glacier Ridge

I think rabies is an extremely hard shot on a horse and I don't like it one bit.

Last time I gave it, I had a whole load of horses sore as heck for a week.

Ridiculous.

Your guy sure looks uncomfortable and I hope he feels better soon.

 

[Candice]

I may have missed this, but is there any heat or direct soreness in the neck at the injection site? I had a mare react very badly to a pneumabort K shot once ,and along with pain meds I also hot packed her neck and shoulder area and that helped her immensly. Just something you may want to try to alleviate some of that discomfort.

Hope he feels better soon,

 

[Sterling]

Awww....poor little guy...sure does look sore. I have my little Manny here that since starting on the West Niles vaccine a few years ago he started getting soreness after his yearlies. We usually do them on the neck, but after him getting sore we tried the butt area and he still got sore. Same reaction, just a different spot. Hershee is usually good....thankfully no soreness afterwards. What we do is right after Manny gets his shots, my vet give him an injectible of Banamine, followed by my giving him Banamine paste once a day for the following couple of day. So in total he gets Banamine 3 days after his yearlies. This year it worked like a charm. He was a bit sore, but nothing like he's been in the past. Your little guy looks to be dragging his leg....Manny shuffles as if he can't stride outright cuz of the soreness. Hope your little one gets to feeling better real soon.

 

[GlacierRidge]

There is no heat or swelling AT the injection site, but at his shoulder nearby there is a bit of a swollen lump. I also noticed a bit of goop in his eye, and this afternoon there is some tearing in that eye...same side as the lump.

My question....I'm beginning to still think this is a reaction, not an injury, I did as the vet suggested, and have an appt tomorrow afternoon if he is not improving by then. Any eye discharge from anyone who've seen reactions to vaccinations?

And, my vet thought it was an injury based on the fact that he can put his head down to eat. (he was injected in the neck). Those who also injected in the neck and had reactions, were your horses still able to graze?

Is a reaction the type of thing you just need to let it run its course? I've never dealt with this before. But it's obvious it's in his shoulder...he will stand forever on that leg....the problem is, picking that leg up...he can't do that. He is in good spirits....his neck is showing no stiffness whatsoever.... I'm thinking I will go down and ice his swelling.

Angie

 

[albahurst]

Several of my horses seem to do this very thing within 24 hrs after shots. So, with the blessing of my vet, I give them Banamine before the shots and we just don't have near the trouble now 'if we stay ahead of it'.

My horses hang their heads alot when they are gimping around and they are able to graze. They just don't seem to want to pick their heads up! After 3 or 4 days they were markedly better. Oh, and I also do shots and then turn them out- they need to walk around.

Good luck and hoping your little one perks up in a couple of days.

peggy

 

[Dream]

Looks like a shoulder injury or brachial plexus injury (soft tissue) based on the fact that he has trouble bringing the leg forward but can bear weight on it. This may improve dramatically with a little time and bute or it could be more serious. Keep him in the stall and keep in touch with your vet.

 

[JourneysEnd]

Horses are not dogs, their immune system NEEDS the vaccine every year. You are doing them no favors by skipping a year or two between doses!

Reactions like this aren't uncommon with any vaccine and in any size animal. Hot compresses on the injection site, bute (underestimate weight), and try to alternate injection sites. Neck vaccines are the easiest, but most prone to problems. Butt shots are much, much harder but are much safer areas. Chest injections aren't the best for minis since they lack the heavier muscling of larger horses. Fort Dodge did just recently change the amount of adjunt in their vaccines, and its this part of the drug that causes the reactions. It also helps absorb the drug and get it into the horse, so its a very important part of the vaccine. Intervet's rabies vaccine is supposed to be good, but I stuck to Fort Dodge because the price was so much different ($75 for 5 doses vs $12 for five doses). I use neck injections myself, and only use Rabvac3 and Pinnicle vaccines from Fort Dodge, the rest I go elsewhere.

Actually in recent tests they found that a horse only needed about 4 rabies shots in their lifetime, the problem is, which four ?

Rabies is an extremely effective vaccine. IMO if we continue to give it to horses every year, we will do the same thing to horses we did to dogs.

Once every three years is enough for mine.