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  Discussion on Vaccination mix up- rabies or west nile??? Can it be given again?
Author Message
Member:
bethyg2

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 1:52 pm:

Dr. O, a very weird thing has happened to me, I didn't even know what to call this post. My vet arrived a day earlier than her scheduled appointment, for what reason I really don't know. This is only relevant because discussion was had about my older gelding and the minis not getting three vaccinations at once, and that rabies and 5 way would be given on either side of the 5 horses' necks. All was well. I said I would call in three weeks time to schedule the west niles. (I was even contemplating giving them myself, I have always been a 'fraidy cat about it. )I dutifully wrote down the type of vaccines and to whom given on my horse calendar. Two weeks later the same vet shows up, I get a call from home that the vet is there to give the rabies vaccines. I was confused since I had not made the appointment, nor had I anticipated that rabies would be given. I spoke with the vet, told her my concerns, and she said she had marked down she had given west nile. So, this leaves me in a major dilemma- i know for a fact that the vet's office (a large one) messed up on both appointment times. i am very hesitant to trust their records when I know what I was told on the vaccine day. But I am also not 100% on my own info being accurate either- maybe that was the discussion, but maybe west nile was given after all??
So, what to do? I am in South Florida where west nile is super important, and if they have not received it they are more than 6 months out from when they were last given west nile vaccine. I searched the site for any similar mistake but of course since it is so silly I didn't find any. What would you do? We are in a bit of a DrOught now so the mosquitos are not bad yet- but that won't last. I am leaning towards letting the rabies go for a while (though we have lots of raccoons around- but the horses are fed inside and they come in at night) and giving west nile again in a few weeks. I am scared to over vaccinate. I wish there were a way to track the actual vaccines by serial number- I am waiting on that inquiry. What would you do?
-Beth (very confused in So. fla.)
Member:
153337

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 2:35 pm:

Hi Beth,
I happen to be in the Loxahatchee area. I use Glen Gillard as my vet and have never had a problem, he works with me on whatever vaccines I want to do and is always willing to let me do all that I can myself. I would seriously consider switching vets, if they can't get an appointment time right, how could you trust them with anything else. An appointment is so basic.
Good Luck,
Amber
Member:
153337

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 2:42 pm:

Another thought Beth, where is your copy of what they did. I always get a record of what the vet gave or did for each and every horse seen by him. Do they give you a copy of that?
Member:
bethyg2

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 3:08 pm:

Thanks Amber, yes I am considering switching vets, I didn't get a record of anything done that day, and have not yet received my bill. But what concerns me is that their bill/ record will be wrong. If I do give west nile over again, what would happen, is my concern.
On another note, with 5 horses I need to learn how to give IMs for goodness sake. It's the difference between $150 for the vaccines and $475 for the vets to give them. The fear I have always had is what anyone else I guess thinks of- getting a larger blood vessel or a bad reaction right away. I have read the site's how- to on giving IMs and it makes it seem so simple!
Amber is Dr. Gillard the vet with the office at Sunshine Meadows in Delray, or am I mixing him up with another vet?
Member:
153337

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 8:37 pm:

Hi Beth, No he isn't there - his info is
South Florida Equine Assoc
10355 100th St South
Boynton Beach FL
561/738-4601
Leave a message and they get back with you. I do all my own vaccinations, except west nile. I am not pro vaccines either, it seems to me horse vaccines have become like the human flu vaccines, something for someone to scare people into paying for. I normally do Eastern/Western Enceph and a few others. Rabies I do every other year. We have raccoons, but they have never bothered the horses. I get my vaccines from Jeffers, but I'm sure even the local discount vet store carries them.
Member:
153337

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 8:44 pm:

Sunshine Meadows is Dr. Jerry Rudnick, he is great with suspensory ligament injuries, bowed tendons etc.. if you get a horse to him within 24 hours he can do things that will help the horse completely recover very quickly.
Member:
amara

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 9:46 pm:

would having his titers checked work?..its becoming a more accepted practice with some vets... i have no idea where to find info on what appropriate titer levels are, but maybe a naturopathic type vet if you wanted to check... that way you could maybe figure out what he had the most antibodies of in his system...

i vote for giving them yourself from now on, except what is required by state law to be given by vet (usually rabies).. have your vet show you how to do IM shots properly.... its really no biggie...and practice on an orange until you get comfortable!...

good luck
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 - 10:00 pm:

Beth, first step is to try and locate the original paper work that was filled out the day the shots were given this is the best record given your lack of 100% assuredness. I understand you do not have a copy but there should be an original somewhere. If this cannot be found you should go with your best impression of what happened. Your memory (and since there is no original paper work the vet is going by memory) of the event is likely to be more accurate. After all you only have to keep track of what was given to your horses the vet has to keep track of hundreds of different injections. I can barely remember what I gave the horses I saw today but certainly not those from 3 weeks ago. If an injection is repeated you may have an increase chance of reaction but this is small and treatable.
DrO
Member:
153337

Posted on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 - 11:19 am:

Beth,

How are things going? Did the vets office ever produce the original paperwork?

Amber
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