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Discussion on Tetanus vaccine in foals
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New Member:
Coolmule
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 3, 2005 - 5:02 pm:
Is it still recommended to vaccinate a newborn foal whose mother has never been vaccinated for tetanus? Using both the toxoid and antitoxin on day 1? I don't have this situation currently but I teach students and would like to know if this information is outdated.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 4, 2005 - 9:29 am:
I understand the confusion Erin and I don't think there is a clear answer backed by research. If the mare has a history of no vaccine both are often recommended in new veterinary texts. I have to admit I don't always do it however. If the foal is born and kept in a nice clean environment just the toxoid followed by a booster in 21 days. If the foal is born in a dirty or muddy environment I do give the antitoxin and toxoid in spite of the risk of serum sickness, don't forget to give the mare the toxoid also.
DrO
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New Member:
Coolmule
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Posted on Friday, Aug 5, 2005 - 8:39 pm:
Thank you for the information. The text indicate since the umbilicus would be a great source of infection from tetanus the antitoxin may need to be given. I understood that the serum sickness was more prevalent in horses that had been vaccinated previously. Very confusing subject.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Aug 6, 2005 - 7:37 am:
The idea that the umbilicus is a frequent source of infection has come into serious question the last few years. Seems like everytime I attend a symposium on the subject of infections in neonates, more and more the bowel is being implicated as the main source of septicemia and even pneumonia in neonates. Of course tetanus is really a poisoning created by a local infection which is why my concern in dirty environments.
Concerning the serum sickness incidence in those vaccinated vs unvaccinated I have not seen such information and it does not really jive with my notion of the disease. I think of the problem in these terms (though many other mechanisms are proposed): The antitoxin product is produced in horses. Contaminating horse proteins that are not quite like the individual receiving the disease sets up a cross reactive autoimmune type reaction that attacks the liver. Though I cannot find a case of Theiler's in a neonate secondary to tetanus antitoxin, I can find Theiler's in horses with no history of vaccination secondary to other products (serum) of horse origin.
I do agree with you however that as prevalent as the problem is (I have seen 2 in twenty years) the little amount of research spent on better understanding of this problem is surprising.
DrO
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