# Covexin-8 VS. CDT



## Leslie (Jun 20, 2002)

My vet came out this week to vaccinate my small flock. I asked him to bring Covexin-8 but he arrived up with CDT. When I asked about it he said C8 isn't effective and leads to knots at the injection site. Does this sound right to anybody? Also, are there other vaccines I should be using? It anyone doing Rabies? Thanks!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Temporary knots maybe but considerably more coverage for the minor side effect. CDT is fine for goats that are not as suseptable to the other clostridial diseases. We did rabies for the pet sheep we had because the children had such close contact with them. I hate to disagree with vets but I'd have insisted on the 8 way. Better than dead sheep. Think of it like this, you get on a bus to go across the country, they tell you that they checked 3 of the 8 tires and they were fine so they didn't bother with the other 5.


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## Leslie (Jun 20, 2002)

If I want to go back and vaccinate with C-8 do I have to wait any length of time? Can I do this myself? The vet was pretty clear that he thought this was a worthless vaccine.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I've never used CDT so I really can't say. Why not ask another vet, if you have trouble getting a vet besides the one you have, consider the Pipestone clinic. You'll find their number in the sheep board directory. They know sheep very well. Its not difficult to vaccinate and for what its worth 8 way vaccine or glanvac 6 is what my vets have told me to use and that CDT leaves my stock wide open to, too many problems. It covers entrotoxemia, pulpy kidney, tetnus and they are the worst offenders but for the pennies in extra cost for an 8 way you nail, blackleg, malignant oedema, necrotic hepatitis, lamb dysentery, and bacillary haemoglobinuria.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Leslie said:


> My vet came out this week to vaccinate my small flock. I asked him to bring Covexin-8 but he arrived up with CDT. When I asked about it he said C8 isn't effective and leads to knots at the injection site. Does this sound right to anybody? Also, are there other vaccines I should be using? It anyone doing Rabies? Thanks!


I've read many folks asking about the knots, not sure on the permanency, some say usually goes away after several weeks.

Any shepherds in your area. I wonder if the need for Cov. 8 is very low where u live based on your vets reply?
Thus far I haven't vaccinated my sheep at all, nor does the shepherdess that I bought them from. She's been raising blackbelly sheep in NC for several years.

I personally don't believe in giving everything in the book(injections)-- just in case. I do think circumstance vary. Location, size of herd, general health of herd, etc.


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## Sue (Jul 22, 2002)

I used to use Covaxin 8 but the knots were so large since it is a 5cc dose. They would abscess and drain and be a general mess so I called Pipestone. They recommended that I use the BarVac brand C,D & T. I have been using it since (3 years) and think it's great. It is a smaller dose and no abscesses. Yes, they do get a knot for a month or so but nothing compared to the C8. 

If you have a problem with blackleg in your area, you will need to use the C8 of course.


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## Leslie (Jun 20, 2002)

Thanks everyone. All the points of view are very helpful. It's difficult for me to judge what is best to vaccinate against as there are no other sheep people out here (unless they bought them from me). So I think the C8 is probably the way to go. Thanks again.


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## Shahbazin (Dec 10, 2002)

FWIW, it seems to make a difference as to your region (what's endemic to the area?), breed (some breeds are more/less suceptable), & flocking density. I live in a desert type region, low density, primitive breed, & I use CDT only.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

a 5cc dose is a pretty big one, you might want to consider Glanvac6 which I think is only a 2cc dose


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

The directions for Covexin 8 does state to give sheep an initial dose of 5 ml SQ followed by 2 ml in 6 weeks then 2 ml annually. It also states to revaccinate every 5 - 6 months for Cl. novyi and Cl. haemolyticum.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

You could give the initial dose in two locations and lessen the knot prob.


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## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

The vaccine I used called for an initial dose of 2.5 followed by 2.5 4-6 wks later. It was Bac-7. It left a small knot.


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