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  Discussion on Treating for tetnus
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Member:
Dtjb

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 12:36 am:

A friend of mine is helping to treat a horse diagnosed with tetnus...she is very concerned for its welfare. The treatment, however, doesn't seem idea to me.
They have the horse in a sling hanging from a tree because they have no barn. Their veterinarian has suggested to put a fly mask on the horse to block out light.
Also, my friend keeps going over there to replace the NG tube that the horse keeps popping out. Is this adviseable to keep replacing, as the horse fights the tube a lot? Apparently, the horse will drink out of a hose but not a bucket. I am unsure if it is on IV fluids as well.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for your input!

"one of my mom's friends has a horse that was diagnosed with tetanus 6 days ago....he eats, but won't drink and has a NG tube for fluids. They have him in some sort of sling hanging from a tree to keep him standing. He's also getting antitoxen every other day, Ace 2 times a day and 15cc of Penicillin 2x a day

I went out there last night to put the NG tube back in as he had managed to get it out somehow....


he still has the "3rd eyelid" thing going on and was DrOoling a bit, but other than that, he was very alert, pooping, peeing, eating grain and soaked alfalfa pellets and cubes....and put up one heck of a fuss when I started to put the tube back in.


so...what is the odds that he will pull through this? he's a nice pony and I'd like to see him live. "
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 7:28 am:

Though I don't like to do second hand cases Jaquelynne, it is so rare that we get a tetanus case I think it is a great reminder that this disease is still around and one of the most important vaccines we give due to the horses sensitivity to it.

Concerning the hose, that is a problematic solution: it is almost impossible to monitor the amount drank and the problems with swallowing might result in aspiration. Of course a long term ng tube is not great but we do not have enough information on managment to judge whether the management is ideal or not.

Concerning prognosis we also don't have the information needed. Has the source of the toxin been found and eliminated, how long has it had tetanum, and most important is he improving.
DrO
Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 7:57 am:

I had my vet out a few weeks ago for vac. and such. I ususally only vac for tetanus, but went ahead and did a six way this year. In our conversations about vacs. he stated that he has seen many deaths due to tetanus and he has only been practicing about 6 yrs. Dr. O, you state tetanus cases are rare. Is it something that varies much from state to state? Just wondering.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 9:34 am:

No the prevalence of the tetanus organism is pretty much the same everywhere as far as I know. The difference is in the vaccinated population. Apparently you have lots of folks who do not vaccinate as it is very effective.
DrO
Member:
Eoeo

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 9:56 am:

I can't fathom anyone not vaccinating for tetanus.
That is something that they can pick up at anytime. We have always vaccinated with 4 or 5 way shots and that is included, plus the sleeping sickness, flu and rhino with the 5 way so why not do it? It is like worming, it needs to be done on all horses for the good of their general health. Have friend who has a lot of horses but didn't feel putting out $300 or $400 a year was worth it. She had 4 aborted babies already due to Rhino this year. Hmmm, $60-100.00 for vaccinations on these mares, aborted babies, plus vet bills, ???? You do the math.EO
Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 9:57 am:

Well that makes sense. What is it they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Thanks for your responce.
Member:
Cara2

Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 10:37 am:

Sorry to come on strong, but I think the wrong species is hanging from the tree here. Not protecting against tetanus is gross neglect in my books. Its not as if its an expensive jab, and it only has to be done every third year so could hardly be cheaper if it tried. I do hope this horse is saved and then even better, removed to a decent home with people who know what they are doing. I'd also be especially worried as if a horse has developed it, the risk to humans must surely be increased too as the organism is obviously around the place. Ok, so at least they are having proper veterinary care for the poor animal, but treatment isn't guaranteed successful and the horse must be suffering meantime. Thank goodness that your friend has got involved, at least someone cares. I hope the vet has read them the riot act. I get so mad when people say they can't afford the proper care for their pets. I can't afford holidays, so I don't have them -simple.


Grrrr!
Member:
Marroon

Posted on Friday, Apr 1, 2005 - 12:33 am:

Wow everyone, did you read the first post on this? Jaquelynne didn't say SHE chose not to vaccine, she said a friend of her moms. You & I both know we don't control our moms' friends. We can only influence them with knowledge as it looks like that's what she may be trying to do. I am hoping after reading, she continues posting so that everyone can benefit from this forum. We definitely don't want an equine friend or the animal of any friend to suffer from what others already know and have proven. I'm sure she is not at all happy with this situation either but it sounds as though she is trying to assist in any way she can. Sure does sicken me to read how this treatment takes place. NOTE TO MYSELF: REREAD "CARE of the HORSE" & follow up by instituting a calendar for all vaccines/wormer. (As I only make a mental note of them currently.)
Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Friday, Apr 1, 2005 - 8:53 am:

Helen
Do you only vacinate for tetanus every 3 years? I have always given a yearly Tetanus/ encephilitis combo. Is the tetanus like the rabies in that it last for several years but is reccomended yearly?

CJ
I dont think the replys were aimed at Jaquelynne. I think we all understand she and a friend are concerned and trying to help this horse. I think we all just get a little heated when we see or hear of such unnecessary suffering and tend to vent alittle.
You pointed out a good reminder to those of us that dont, to make a vaccine/wormer calandar. Like you I make mental notes and just toss receipts/empty wormer boxes in a folder. I need to work on my organizational skills.
Colleen
Member:
Marroon

Posted on Friday, Apr 1, 2005 - 9:45 am:

Thanks Colleen I'm sure Jaquelynne will be glad to hear that. Hopefully the horse is doing better! & the people will learn from the event!
CJ
Member:
Dtjb

Posted on Friday, Apr 1, 2005 - 5:38 pm:

Hey everyone,

No of course I know this was not directed at me. To clarify, though, the horse belongs to a friend's mother's friend (whew!) half the country away from me. The part in quotation marks is what I cut and pasted from my friend's email...what she was asking me, not what I was asking you guys.....sorry for the confusion!

I, also, am discouraged when easily-prevented diseases pop up. This is important to note however: THE HORSE WAS VACCINTED FOR TETNUS only a few months ago. The horse's owner gave the vaccination himself, along with all of his other horses. Sadly, the boy still picked up the tetnus toxin somehow.

If I were to vent on this one (and in doing so I will brace myself against the SURE venting to come from this comment): here is another point for the argument AGAINST letting lay-people or horse owners vaccinate their own animals. It makes me wonder if the vaccine was stored or adminstered properly? Of course we will never know. I, myself am a registered nurse and in the past have worked 15+ years in verterinary hospitals, but wil not vaccinate another person's animal, nor will I do my own. I have simply seen too many adverse reactions, and would have to be responsible if something happens.

My questions on this case were regarding the treatment, as tetnus is not something I have come across at all during my veterinary assistant days. Dr. Oglesby, I know you cannot comment on another veterinarian's case, nor was I asking you to...I also know you cannot give a prognosis on this one. Decision-making in this case is between the horse's owner and that person's veterinarian. But, because I am curious, I just wanted to pick your brain on the following:

should the horse be outside? He is in a sling in a tree right now, witha fly mask on to block out some light. This is because the owner has no barn for his horses. Are there any alternatives? Is it dangerous to move him? Does the virus shed somehow (in manure for example?). A neighbour's empty barn is fairly close by and they have offered to allow the horse in there. Is it too stressful to move him? (There are no animals in that barn & the neighbours do not plan on ever having animals).

You have already answered my question about the ng tube...thanks.

Jackie
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Apr 2, 2005 - 8:55 am:

The problem is not another veterinarians case Jackie, I comment on them all the time. The problem is the second and third hand nature of the information. Often things get garbled in the retelling.

The current recommendation is yearly boosters for tetanus. There is the occasional breakthrough with the vaccine but the details are always sketchy, like that above. If we could have this horses exact vaccine history, including the initial series there is a lot we could learn from that.

While I can make general statements that the optimum treatment would be in a darkened state with minimal sensory stimuli, we cannot look at the particulars of this case and make judgements about decisions made by those who can examine the horse. It could be very difficult to move such a horse even with specialized equipment. For most of your questions on the nature of how tetanus is contracted and spread see, Equine Diseases » Nervous System » Incoordination, Weakness, Spasticity, Tremors » Tetanus.
DrO
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