The horse who has bad vaccine reactions... what to do?

[StormyDay]

My 13 YO pasture puff is having issues with vaccines. A year and a half ago, he got his 6 way and was mildly lethargic after, didn’t finish his grain that night but was fine several hours later. Last spring, his 6 way triggered a bout of colic. He was given banamine and was fine.

Last fall, I decided to space out his shots in case of issues, and the vet came out to do the rabies with the idea that I would give the 6 way a few days later.
He had a horrible reaction to the rabies shot. About 3 hours after he got it, he laid down in the pasture and absolutely refused to get up. He kept closing his eyes as if he was just exhausted. It was one of the scariest cases of colic I have seen as he was basically non responsive. I truly thought I would be calling my vet for a euth. We gave him banamine and he stood up about 30 min later but still wasn’t 100% until the next day. I skipped his 6 way in light of this reaction.

Well, now it’s spring and it’s time for spring shots. I am very worried that with this pattern the next vaccine will kill him.

Are there any ‘safer’ vaccines out there for sensitive horses? Anyone just not vaccinate? I worry about this because Va does get its share of equine diseases.

[IPEsq]

This would be a case in which I wouldn’t vaccinate if possible. Or maybe talk to your vets if there are any other individual vaccines that you could try for the highest risk diseases for your area, compared to his previous reactions.

I’m definitely pro-vaccination, but there are some cases where the risks of vaccinating are greater than not vaccinating. If you show, you’d have to get an exemption and record temps and all of that, but for a pasture puff, I’d be inclined to skip it.

[JB]

For sure, stop the multi-vaccine sticks. It’s doubtful he even needs everything in a 6-way.

You can’t always give vaccines as single-vaccine, but for everyone you can get as a single, get that and give them 2 weeks apart.

Do the core vaccines and no more UNLESS you’re in a high risk area or situation for the risk-based vaccines.

If THAT doesn’t work (well), then change manufacturers. Ft Dodge was one that got a lot of complaints about reactions, due to their adjuvants. They got bought (Zoetis?) but I have no idea if there’s still that adjuvant line around. But in other words - if you’re using Zoetis and have reactions, use Merial next time (as an example).

[ASB_Stars]

I agree with much of what has been said- and I would also recommend that you titer your horse. It’s not inexpensive, but I lost one many years ago because of a bad reaction, and I am VERY careful about how I do things now. I only give them what I know they’ll die from, if they are exposed (like rabies and tetanus) unless there is an outbreak of something. I have a relatively closed herd- but you never know just how far an insect can fly…

[StormyDay]

Both six ways were different manufacturers; Merck was one, I forget the other. It doesn’t seem to be brand specific.
Besides tetanus and rabies, which others would you recommend as must haves? He is in a closed herd and the closest other horses are about 1000 ft away.

[trubandloki]

Has your vet tried pre-treating with banamine or such?

I have one that only gets rabies because of a serious vaccine reaction (laminitis). She is pre-treated with a few things (I admit I do not know the whole contents of what she is given) and we use the one brand of vaccine she so far has not had an issue with.

This type of situation is where you sit down with your vet and develop a plan and figure out how to move forward.

[Simkie]

My vaccine reactive horse does not react at all to Vettera. It’s not an option for rabies, but would be worth exploring for EWT & WNV. They have a 3 way EWT and single WNV.

I’d see how pre treating with banamine (and maybe Benadryl?) goes before skipping entirely.

Your location (in a general geographic sense) determines what is skippable safely and what’s more risky. Talk to your vet–we can’t really advise since you haven’t shared where you are.

[joiedevie99]

Pre-treating can make a huge difference. Some are fine just getting banamine with the vaccine from the vet. Other gets a dose 8-12 hours before the vet visit, and then a second dose with the vaccine. If that doesn’t cut it, my vet will add an antihistamine as well. Some do better with Buscopan than banamine. We also skip all combined vaccines at least until we know which one they are reacting to.

[SolarFlare]

Wasn’t there also an issue last year with a shortage of the equine rabies vaccine, so vets were using the dog version? I remember a thread here and apparently there were a lot more bad reactions. I know one who reacted last year, although not as severely as yours.

I also agree to check with your vet as to what brands were used and try something different. A couple years ago we had EEE cases fairly close by so I got my horse boosted in the fall, and he was really stiff and sore for a week. He didn’t react like that to the spring shots, which included the same vaccines but different brand and in a combo. I asked vet to make a note not to use that brand any more.

[glitterless]

Could you get titres done for now to see what he even needs to be vaccinated against? I am pro-vaccine all the way and preach it all the time, but this is a case where I would be very cautious.

[irish_horse]

Did I write this post? Sure sounds like it! This is what I went through a few years ago with my horse, stopped the 6-way and tried spacing the different vaccines out to see what the problem one was, (as well as pre-loading with banamine). After the rabies vaccine one year he pretty much decided to lay down and die, and only supportive care and meds got him back on his feet. So no more rabies vaccines for him! I know and acknowledge the risk, and if I was in a high-risk area might do the vaccine at the vet hospital instead. My vet agrees to not vaccinate (and in fact has seen this reaction in this line of Arabs in particular). I suggest having a frank discussion with your vet. I also talked with my barn owner, as she has vaccine requirements, but after a discussion with my vet was OK with our decision. Best of luck!

[Cynical25]

I’d definitely speak with your vet for guidance on the major risk factors in your area. Rabies, Tetanus & West Nile Virus are my must-haves in my area.

A dose of Dex the morning of, banamine 8-12 hours following, and bute if fever hit 105° was my vet-prescribed routine before individually dosing Rabies, Tetanus, and West Nile vaccines to my formerly-vaccine-sensitive gelding. Thankfully, he has gradually grown out of reactions, but there were times when he would be unable to remain standing or unable to get up off the ground, unable to lift his drooling head to eat or drink for 2+ days, and his sheath would swell closed so solidly he could not urinate. He just turned 9 and can now tolerate a tet/flu/rhino/wnv combo without drugs and with minimal reaction, and the rabies vax only causes minimal stocking up and sheath swelling.

[alildoc]

My guy has a problem with having all of his vaccines on one day. He will get an injection-site reaction as well as mild colic. I pick-up the vaccines from my vet and self-administer to him one every week or two. The pharmaceutical scientist in me also needs to point out - please store the vaccines correctly if you do this! Most likely in frig and may need to bring to room temp before administration. I’ve asked about titers but my vet felt there wasn’t clear guidance on what level was assurance for immunity and I didn’t want to risk skipping vaccinations.

[StormyDay]

@Simkie

My vaccine reactive horse does not react at all to Vettera. It’s not an option for rabies, but would be worth exploring for EWT & WNV. They have a 3 way EWT and single WNV.

I’d see how pre treating with banamine (and maybe Benadryl?) goes before skipping entirely.

Your location (in a general geographic sense) determines what is skippable safely and what’s more risky. Talk to your vet–we can’t really advise since you haven’t shared where you are.

Hi, it says in the OP I’m in Virginia

[StormyDay]

I will ask about titers. Pre medicating may be what I have to do. I am not sure that separating the vax will help as it seems that any vaccine causes him issues, so it seems like maybe it’s better to get it over with than spread it out causing more colic episodes than necessary.

[mmeqcenter]

I have a boarder whose coming-8-year-old has always had reactions to vaccines. Lethargy, mild colic symptoms, off feed, fever, etc. Since she moved in a little over a year ago we’ve given him Banamine orally the day before, have the vet give Banamine IV at the same time as the vaccs, and Banamine orally the day after. So far his reactions have been greatly reduced, he’s just had a slight fever (~102°F) for about a day both times and no other symptoms.

[Simkie]

@StormyDay

Hi, it says in the OP I’m in Virginia

Very sorry to have missed that

It looks like there have been cases of WNV and EEE in VA in horses in the past couple years, along with rabies in a variety of animals. In your shoes, I’d try pre treating, and do rabies, EWT and WNV. The Vettera vaccines have really been great for us–maybe they will be good for you, too.

I hope you find something that works for your guy!

[JB]

@StormyDay

Both six ways were different manufacturers; Merck was one, I forget the other. It doesn’t seem to be brand specific.

So, still, 6 vaccines in a single injection site, at a single time, is too much for a lot of horses. What vaccines, specifically, were in those 6-ways?

Besides tetanus and rabies, which others would you recommend as must haves? He is in a closed herd and the closest other horses are about 1000 ft away.

The core vaccines are rabies, tetanus, EEE, WEE, and WNV.

@StormyDay

I will ask about titers. Pre medicating may be what I have to do.

Just know that prophylactic NSAIDs may reduce the immune response. So, in my head, that’s not the first step I’d take - I’d be splitting vaccines as much as possible as the first line of action.

I am not sure that separating the vax will help as it seems that any vaccine causes him issues, so it seems like maybe it’s better to get it over with than spread it out causing more colic episodes than necessary.

You’d be REALLY surprised how many horses are just fine with spaced out vaccines. You didn’t do anything but rabies last time, so you don’t know how he would react to the other 4 core vaccines (well, 3 really, tetanus reactions are so rare, it’s just the other 3 that could cause a problem). I get that he reacted badly to the rabies on its own. I do think it’s possibly worth a 3rd manufacturer’s rabies vaccine. AFAIK, rabies titers are not reliable for horses, and that’s really the scariest one.

@Simkie

It looks like there have been cases of WNV and EEE in VA in horses in the past couple years, along with rabies in a variety of animals. In your shoes, I’d try pre treating, and do rabies, EWT and WNV. The Vettera vaccines have really been great for us–maybe they will be good for you, too.

Yes, I would not DREAM of skipping EEE in these parts. I’d skip WNV if I had to pare down some core vaccines. Yes, it can still kill a horse, but EEE is almost guaranteed to kill, and many horses with WNV survive (even if it does end up $$ to treat).

[Simkie]

It’s also worth noting that the core diseases are not horse to horse transmission. That he’s in a closed herd away from others really is not material for rabies, tetanus, WEE, EEE or WNV.

There’s a lot of rabies in Virginia:

http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/statistics/

And a lot of flying bitey insects to transmit everything else. Tetanus is everywhere in the soil. (And so so so ugly I’d never seen it before following that Prince Fluffy Kareem page on FB, and holy cow. So glad we have a vaccine!)

That he’s a home body isn’t protective against these things. It does help with stuff like strangles.
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹

[JB]

Yep, that’s the reason the core vaccines are what they are - they don’t require the horse to travel, and they are endemic in the US.