# Mare Having Side Effects From Spring Shots!



## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

I NEED your advice! What would you do if this was your horse?

My 16 year old Quarter Horse mare had her spring vaccinations yesterday (4-way, West Nile - no rabies)...Today she is totally stiff in the neck, can't get her head down to graze, can't reach up to the hay rack. Wouldn't eat her grain, and only now after the whole afternoon has passed did she eat when I hand fed her at a comfortable height. 
Now this is my 3rd year owning her, this happened last time she had her shots too, but not near as bad. She's totally sluggish, moves very slowly, acts like her hind legs are weak - thought she was going to just lay down this morning because she was leaning but then she didn't. I don't know how much she's drinking because we have automatic waterers...

*Is there anything I need/should do for her?* Is this somewhat _'normal'_? My other horse (thoroughbred gelding) had his shots and he's totally fine.

Do I HAVE to do these shots every year? They never leave our property, no showing or trail riding with other horses...I just wonder if it is absolutely needed...


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

My DD has a horse that has problems with the shots. It does help not to give any combined shots, you might have to have the vet order separate vaccines. I would ask the vet what she thinks you horse needs and I would not give her any more shots without adrenalin on the premises.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

happychick said:


> I NEED your advice! What would you do if this was your horse?
> 
> My 16 year old Quarter Horse mare had her spring vaccinations yesterday (4-way, West Nile - no rabies)...Today she is totally stiff in the neck, can't get her head down to graze, can't reach up to the hay rack. Wouldn't eat her grain, and only now after the whole afternoon has passed did she eat when I hand fed her at a comfortable height.
> Now this is my 3rd year owning her, this happened last time she had her shots too, but not near as bad. She's totally sluggish, moves very slowly, acts like her hind legs are weak - thought she was going to just lay down this morning because she was leaning but then she didn't. I don't know how much she's drinking because we have automatic waterers...
> ...


Some people who don't do all the shots will hesitate to answer this question out of fear of being accused of animal abuse... just so you know.

So the standard answer will have to be, ask your vet.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

For 16 years my mare has received a dose of bute before her shots- no bute- stiff. I give her a gram an hour before the vet arrives and one the next morning with no stiffness problems noted. She's fine. The one she has a reaction to is tetanus- no way she goes without it if I can help.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

I would split the vaccines up and see which one is causing the problems. You could try the bute, as someone mentioned. If she were mine and will have such severe reactions even with bute, I think I would stop the vaccines. That's just me though.


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## troy n sarah tx (Dec 31, 2005)

I would ask the vet to split them next time. That way you will know what one she has reactions to. Sometimes it is the preservatives that cause the problem so going with another manufacture (if available) may help.

Sarah


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Had a mare that had a reaction to West Nile. I know it was this vaccine because they would receive all other vaccines in the fall, WN in the spring. Kept getting worse with every shot and would take longer to go away. EPM-like symptoms but would come & go. After 3 different vets checking her out (of course she would not show any symptoms then) and ruling out EPM among other things I decided it was better to take the chance so I quit giving it to all of them and instead make sure to tip the water tanks and rinse them out for every fill and make sure there is nothing sitting around to collect water and put up with barn swallow poop in exchange for them keeping the mosquito population under control. Knock on wood so far that practice has worked out for me and she has never again staggered around like a drunken sailor -just a saying no offense meant to any navy veterans. 

During my search on the topic I found this website:

Home Page

While it is mainly about breeding/foaling issues if you read through you'll see some of the same symptoms I described above. The site is old and they don't seem to keep it updated anymore. 

Warning!!! A few graphic, sickening photos are shown on that site


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Thank you all for replying! I appreciate it. She's still doing about the same, though she did eat her grain tonight on her own, whereas this morning she refused it.


wolffeathers said:


> I would split the vaccines up and see which one is causing the problems.


This seemed to be the most reccomended from you all and I 100% agree. I will talk to my vet about it next week when he comes to float the teeth of my other horse. I had talked to the previous owner, and we both thought her reaction must have been from the rabies shot, which she did not receive yesterday - so we've ruled that one out. I thought (still being fairly new to horse owner ship) that '4-way' was a package deal, but it sounds like we can split them up into individual shots. That way we would know which one it was...

I have her in her stall, with her hay bag lowered to a hieght she can reach, and I did catch her drinking once this evening, (it was over 90 degrees all day, so I was a bit concerned about that).

Thank you all again for replying, I appreciate all the different angles of advice on this! :thumb: I just hate to see her feeling so bad, and with it being SO much worse of a reaction from last time, I really don't want her to go through this again if at all possible...


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

=== Some people who don't do all the shots will hesitate to answer this question out of fear of being accused of animal abuse... just so you know. ===


Judging from the different equine forums, the shots this year are causing problems. Call your vet about the problems you're having. You probably won't be the first person s/he has heard from.

A lot of us who feed 100% food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) don't vaccinate.

I haven't vaccinated my house pets and livestock for many years. No sense pumping the poison when they can't get sickness or diseases when fed DE.

Hope things at your place are back to normal soon.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

If you had problems last year and again this year, you may want to check with your vet and see if changing brands might help because quite often the problem with vaccines lies with the adjuvant.


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

My Horse I used to have had the same reaction to the tetanus shot, so next time he gave him the shot in the butt. He got a little stiff but nothing like in the neck.
BTW he got better on day 3 I think.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

wr said:


> If you had problems last year and again this year, you may want to check with your vet and see if changing brands might help because quite often the problem with vaccines lies with the adjuvant.


I agree. I have a mare that will react this way to certain brands of shots. I now use Merk (used to use Fort Dodge) and she hasn't had a problem. When she did react it took a couple of days but the stiffness went away without a problem. If the injection site gets swollen and hot call the Vet.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

My Vet friend advises against giving horses shots in the neck. Rump better, less reactions. Avoid all at once and alternate locations.


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## mountainwmn (Sep 11, 2009)

My previous gelding got like that. It tends to get worse and worse each year. I only ever gave tet and rabies. This year I did west nile because mosquitoes are bad here, but thats the first time. Giving it in the rump helps a little and exercising them right afterwards helps a little. Splitting them up helps that at least you should see what shot causes the reaction. I heard that you can try a different brand but I don't think I had him long enough to do that and I'm not sure what the new owners do.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

I always give the 5-1 (or 4 in 1)shots and the West Nile Virus vaccination about a month apart.
This way they do not end up with a sore neck. Just something about loading them up with all those shots at once that seems to cause problems.

Do the same thing with the Rabies shot.

After I give the shot, I give their neck a good rub down. This helps move things along and is a treat for them. 
Personally I prefer the neck to their back side. 

Would also recommend, not using Fort Dodge for the West Nile Virus vaccine. For some reason, talking with friends, this brand seems to get more reactions.

Right now, to help with the swelling, would do a warm compress two to three times a day, for a couple of days.


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

Rogo said:


> === Some people who don't do all the shots will hesitate to answer this question out of fear of being accused of animal abuse... just so you know. ===
> 
> 
> Judging from the different equine forums, the shots this year are causing problems. Call your vet about the problems you're having. You probably won't be the first person s/he has heard from.
> ...


I am curious, how does feeding what if I understand is dirt or earth protect an animal against tetnus and some of these other things? am I misunderstanding what the product is?


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

=== I am curious, how does feeding what if I understand is dirt or earth protect an animal against tetnus and some of these other things? am I misunderstanding what the product is? ===


Yep! )

DE is fossilized plants from the oceans and lakes. It's been used for thousands of years, so it's nothing new. Looks and feels like flour. Deposits are on the land but not near me. Easier for me to go to the feed store and get the 50 pound bag. With all my critters, I go thru a bag a month.

All DE is is 28 trace minerals and no one knows why it works like it does. I'm just glad it works! Haven't had a vet bill for my house pets or livestock for over 30 years and I don't remember the last time I saw a doctor. I'm 73. Anything that breathes here gets DE daily.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

If it is the medicine itself causing the affects, I humbly ask the forum if giving Benedryl at the time of vaccine administration would help? Could it be an allergic reaction?


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## AugustRED (Apr 18, 2010)

I personally vaccinate any new horse for anything I'm concerned about (provided they didn't come with a vaccination history) then maybe do boosters of anything that is high risk as needed. They got rabbies last year because we took them to NY, otherwise they haven't had anything for 2-3 yrs, my weanling & his dam are getting vaccinated this year because she didn't come with a vac history & he's odviousely completely unvaccinated. I just have a hard time believing the immune response/memory is so poor in horses that they need everything every year. Just my feeling on the matter. Maybe by splitting them up into individual shots and giving half one year, other half the next would help pinpoint the calprit & lessen the reaction if she does have one. But I'd also recommend doing research - there are many people who don't vaccinate at all, even those who show/travel. And most vets are going to recommend the whole list both to cover their backside & it's income (can't say as I blame them)...


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

My horses are not vaccinated. Heck they don't get wormed that often either. Most horses are overwormed IMO they have good immunity once adult. *But* my horses are never really around other horses and they do live in a large area 24/7 that also has cattle on it, which help clean up their worms. And living in a natural set up with very little stressors, keeps their immunity high, stress like working hard, stalling etc will lower immunity and make parasites more of a problem. They are always in excellent health and nothing but. I just pull coggins once a year to stay legal here in arkansas. And they are not at all neglected, they receive excellent nutrition and regular hoof care.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

beccachow said:


> If it is the medicine itself causing the affects, I humbly ask the forum if giving Benedryl at the time of vaccine administration would help? Could it be an allergic reaction?


This is why I suggested having adrenalin (epinephrin) on hand before giving shots. If the horse is allergic to something in a shot the reaction will tend to get worse every year. If you have never seen an anaflactic shock, the horse goes down like a ton of bricks. You don't have time to get help, but a shot of epinephrin will reverse it quickly.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

If she was my horse I'd be hesitant to vaccinate. You don't know which vaccine is causing the problem and, in my experience (in humans), allergic reactions tend to get worse with every exposure. I'd ask the vet.


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

Rogo said:


> === I am curious, how does feeding what if I understand is dirt or earth protect an animal against tetnus and some of these other things? am I misunderstanding what the product is? ===
> 
> 
> Yep! )
> ...


very cool....I am going to try that...


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

I tend to administer the shots myself, tetnus every year but everything else is kind of hit and miss, my guys don't go anywhere...I don't tend to worm but maybe if someone is looking like they need it, but about everything on my place is overweight and slick sooo....I did have the mare done two weeks before she foaled with everything for Ruby's sake...mixed feelings I guess, but would definately switch to the rump myself....


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

farmgirl6 said:


> I am curious, how does feeding what if I understand is dirt or earth protect an animal against tetnus and some of these other things? am I misunderstanding what the product is?


It doesn't. 

Diatomaceous earth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oh... and if my answer is challenged, feel free to search for an instance showing that DE, when taken internally, ends up being more effective than eating any other type of dirt/rocks..... that ISN'T published by a company selling it.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Wow, keep the great advice coming everyone! This is what I need to hear, what other horse owners have dealt with.

First, the update on her. She's about the same, She still won't bend her neck or raise her head, and stayed in the corner of the barn run in most of the day. My other horse (who never stops grazing) even left the pasture and stayed in the barn with her all day of his own free will! I think he realized she isn't feeling good at all. Also, she drank an highly unusual amount of water - way more then she normally does - in her stall last night. Her neck does not show the signs of swelling/lumps that it did yesterday. 
*I thought of something else that may be important to mention:*
A few months ago I had their teeth floated (for the first time during my ownership of them). She did NOT handle the sedation well either - my gelding needed a double dose, but she very nearly went down on her knees with just one. I wonder if that was normal???? Maybe she has an allergy I NEED to know about before she gets any older...???? 

Ok, to highlight on many of the great points made:



> If you had problems last year and again this year, you may want to check with your vet and see if changing brands might help because quite often the problem with vaccines lies with the adjuvant.


--I agree with all the suggestions on changing brands - I am going to talk to the vet about the different brands we could use. 



> I have a mare that will react this way to certain brands of shots. I now use Merk (used to use Fort Dodge) and she hasn't had a problem. When she did react it took a couple of days but the stiffness went away without a problem.





> Would also recommend, not using Fort Dodge for the West Nile Virus vaccine. For some reason, talking with friends, this brand seems to get more reactions.


---This is _very_ good to know, I will talk to him about this brand in particular. She did receive west nile, though I don't know the brand. Prehaps this could be the problem. 



> My previous gelding got like that. It tends to get worse and worse each year.





> If the horse is allergic to something in a shot the reaction will tend to get worse every year.





> You don't know which vaccine is causing the problem and, in my experience (in humans), allergic reactions tend to get worse with every exposure.


---THIS is what I'm REALLY worried about, since this also happen last year but not as bad. I've only owned her a couple years, her previous owner 'never noticed' any particular reaction, but I know she didn't get looked at much at that barn, so things could have been very easily overlooked. Or maybe her vet used a different brand of shot...Several possiblities.


Looking forward to reading all your thoughts, I'm checking this thread often!


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Happy, your comment about sedation made me think that I would go with my initial gut reaction and not vaccinate. I would keep antibiotics, pain meds, and epinephrine on hand. You just never know. I would keep up with your regular worming schedule.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

RamblinRoseRanc said:


> It doesn't.
> 
> Diatomaceous earth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> Oh... and if my answer is challenged, feel free to search for an instance showing that DE, when taken internally, ends up being more effective than eating any other type of dirt/rocks..... that ISN'T published by a company selling it.


I always want to say, "Hey buddy- wanna buy a bridge?" to anyone that believes something (especially when promises of curing chronic disease are involved) without any qualified information behind it. I guess it's the New Yorker in me . ound: 

DE works very well in the garden for controlling slugs.


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## mountainwmn (Sep 11, 2009)

I think if people want to feed DE that is fine with me. But I was going to guy a lamb from a lady that used it for worming until I found out she lost almost half of her lambs every year to "some kind of mineral imbalance, we really aren't sure". I was guessing it was probably heavy parasite loads. If you can't give your horse shots it probably won't hurt to give DE, but I really don't think its going to stop your horse from getting rabies if it's exposed. And rabies is important because you can die from it if your horse gets exposed.
Tetnaus you can lose the horse, but if the shot is just as bad I can see skipping it. Its not contagious.
But the reaction to sedation probably wasn't the same. We were almost sure my guy was going to go down when he got his teeth done. The vet just put a note that he doesn't get so much next time. And actually while it knocked him out quick and hard he woke up pretty quickly also. Every horse reacts differently to it.


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## Work horse (Apr 7, 2012)

I would definitely spread out the shots next time (if your vet advises that vaccinations should continue), and exercise the horse lightly after vaccinating, as well as the following day. Standing around can make any stiffness much worse. 

Regarding the sedative, every horse is different and that doesn't sound like an allergic reaction. The vet will probably make a note to give her a little less next time.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Regarding sedation: I have had horses that run away fully loaded with Rompun (spelling?) and made me chase them as they stumbled around the field, and I had one who went to his knees with a small dose. This varies from hrose to horse, just like with people and, say, Xanax. Some take 2 mg and fall alseep, others take 5 and can drive their cars. This is horse specific, and next time your dentist will give a smaller dose. No worries about this one, very normal reaction if she is super suceptible to the drug given.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Ok, never had that sedation done before, glad to hear that it's not that uncommon.

Today she is acting more normal, but man has she swelled up! Down her neck she has a very large swelling running in a curved line down her neck from the base of her mane down. (hard to see how large in the picture I snapped). Also, from her hocks down her hind legs are swollen as well. I remember that happened a little last time, but not the neck swelling.
Tell me what you think please:


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## Jackie (Jun 20, 2008)

happychick said:


> Ok, never had that sedation done before, glad to hear that it's not that uncommon.
> 
> Today she is acting more normal, but man has she swelled up! Down her neck she has a very large swelling running in a curved line down her neck from the base of her mane down. (hard to see how large in the picture I snapped). Also, from her hocks down her hind legs are swollen as well. I remember that happened a little last time, but not the neck swelling.
> Tell me what you think please:



I think I would never ever vaccinate her again. She has been vaccinated many many times over the past 16 years and I personally think she would be good. I worry that vaccinating her again will kill her. That looks really scary.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Two things- one is that I have had three horses in my horse career who had stiffness reactions with shots, neither ever got any worse over the years. But I have never had the sort of swelling Happycick shows in the pictures- those look live the kind of reactions I've seen associared with allergic reactions- sort of giant hives.
Then second- If Rogo has had success with DE, she was kind enough to give the information. I think her success is in part due to the desert location and I do not think that I would have any luck with it here where is is a parasite's paradise of damp. But I have been surprised by 180 degree changes in best practices a number of times. 
Under any circumstances harsh remarks are not helpful.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Your Vet needs to get out there to check that. That is way beyond what you would normally see.... he/she might have to drain the area.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

I agree, and wonder again about benedryl...anyone??


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

The dosage to properly treat a horse with Benedryl would be massive, plus the sedation could be a real problem due to it's recovery time, so I don't think it's an option. Epinephrine might work but I wouldn't use it unless under a Vet's care. Steriods might work too, but they are prescription as well.

Is the swelling going down, HappyChick? If you don't see a significant reduction quickly I'd have the Vet in to check.


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## Work horse (Apr 7, 2012)

That is serious enough that I would be calling the vet again, to at least describe the situation, if not to come out and evaluate. I would probably also not vaccinate again. That is a lot more serious than I had understood from your original description. 

I would also be hand-walking her for 10-15min every couple of hours if possible to see if that helps.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Wonder if hosing might help the swollen area? I don't think I'd be vaccinating her again either. Poor horse and poor you.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks for looking at the pictures everyone, I saw that this morning under her mane and my heart skipped a beat! I am headed out to the barn now to check and see if it has gone down any. The good news is she was acting more like her old self today, not near so stiff in the neck and even did some grazing. 
The vet is coming back on Thursday to float my other horses teeth, so I am going to have a good talk with him then about this. I hear you guys, I think she has a major allergy, it has shaken me at how dramatically worse she was this time compared to last time. We will NOT be vaccinating her in the same way again - I don't want the risk either.

Will update again soon this evening on the swelling -


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

happychick said:


> Will update again soon this evening on the swelling -


Well, I am relieved to say the swelling is NOT currently fevered/hot. It is still the same in size as this morning when I took the pictures though. I would describe it as a fairly firm swelling, not soft when gently pushed on. I saw the vet use two separate needles, with one injection on each side of their necks - the side I photographed is the worst, the other side only has couple very small lumps. So whatever went in on her right side (pictured) was probably what she has the reaction to. She still isn't totally better, but she is eating better & acting generally more alert - she really scared me Thursday because she was _so _listless she wouldn't even look at me.



> That is serious enough that I would be calling the vet again, to at least describe the situation, if not to come out and evaluate.


I know from trying to schedule the teeth floating appt. with the vet for next week that he is overbooked - I don't know if I could get him to come out or not, especially with it being a holiday weekend...But if the swelling gets worse or doesn't go away I'll make it happen. I hope the swellings only on the outside of her neck and not inside! She isn't acting near as stiff as she was, so I'm glad about that at least.

Thanks for all your support & advice guys, I really appreciate it. The range of feedback I have received is really helping me work this out - I had no idea what was happening other then something was really wrong with my horse. I hope she is out of the woods now, but I'm keeping really close taps on her. Will update again tomorrow -


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Did you have the vet out? If he didn't some out today I'd have him out in the morning. I know that emergency calls are expensive but I don't think that type of swelling is something I'd let go for hours. Would the vet let you email a pic? That would cut down costs. If my vet didn't do emergency calls I'd look for a new one. Heck, the first time we met our vet was out on an emergency call when one of our boys coliced. 

When my kids or I have had hives they've never been hot. I would not use temperature or firmness to decide if something is a big deal or not. 

Personally, after all this, I wouldn't give shots to that horse again. Please let us know how she's doing in the morning.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I don't think I would vaccinate again. Given her age and the fact that she has been vaccinated every year for along time. Should she be injured or a large outbreak of West Nile or some good reason, I would take everything into consideration and make a decision at that time. 

I would call the vet. If he did the vaccinations it is only fair to let him know there is a problem, even if he doesn't need to come out. It might save another horse if he has some bad vaccine.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

If my Vet gave my horse a shot and it had this reaction... he/she's backside would be over at my place post haste! No excuses. 

Is also not impossible,they gave the vaccine in the wrong area of the neck, which can also cause this, or they just did not give the shot properly.
Just because a person is a Vet, doesn't mean they were at the top of their class. 
Some Vets out there, shouldn't be any where near animals!
I learned this the Hard way in Oregon.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

I assure you all I will never let her be vaccinated again! To risky.

I think the swellings gone down a little bit this morning, and she contenues to act more like herself, she's not acting stiff to bend her neck to either side, doesn't have a problem getting it down to graze or up to the hay wrack - though she's definitely not back to 100% better yet. I'm so glad I got those pictures when I did, because I will be showing them to the vet - I didn't think that was 'common' and you all have confirmed it. The swelling is not the length of her neck now, just in one spot about 4-6" long (where it was the most noticable in pic 2)...Because she's acting so much better I'm hesitant to call him out, but trust me I'm watching her like a hawk, double checking her about every couple hours. She's out grazing like normal this morning.

The history on this vet and vaccinating in the past: 
Yes he does emergency calls, saved my geldings life on Christmas morning with a bad case of colic. BUT, even so, there's been a few things I haven't liked so much. 1, when I first got my gelding he was really skinny and the vet said give him more grain. (he's a thoroughbred and I now know better, grain = energy). He is very pro-vaccinate, we vaccinated both of them the first year we owned them, I noticed her mope around a little and her hind legs showed a little puffyness. We SKIPPED the vaccinations the next year because we were so busy in the spring & we just didn't know how important they were. Then this year my gelding again needed attention, this time he had strange swelling in his throat area which we think had to do with his teeth needing floated badly. The vet basically wanted to make sure we vaccinated this spring since we missed last year, so we did. A lesson learned, won't be doing that again. They have a rotated solid worming schedule, and will be kept very healthy, they don't have contact with other horses ever, so we won't vaccinate her again - I don't want to risk it.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I just want to add that one of my horses has reactions to vaccinations...He gets all lethargic, head hanging.. but no swelling. So I split the vaccinations up and only administer one per week. And I do the West Nile separate. So it's a 4way- Equine Influenza, Eastern & Western Encephalomyelitis and Tetanus one week...West Nile the next week...Rabies the week after that. 
I also have a pregnant Mini-Donk that had a reaction to the Rhino shot that she was supposed to get at 5, 7, 9 months pregnant. Well her neck really swelled up bad after the first one so I'm not doing it again. She did fine with the 4 way and the West Nile.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Your vet will hopefully be willing to talk to you about vaccinations. Some are pretty important and others not so much.
Since my horses are not in contact with other horses, they do not get the flu vaccine. I think everyone has stopped strangles except in limited situations. 
But some things, depending on your area, are really scary. Around here rabies is endemic- just last year there was an outbreak down the hill and over the next valley. So all my animals get rabies vaccinations, both for their health and mine. Tetanus is everywhere and such a devastating illness, so they get that too. 
Anyway, it's not as clear cut a decision as some might say. Your vet should be willing to discuss this with you and be agreeable to your decision. You can get seperate shots for all.
I'm glad your girl is doing better- that was a scary thing.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

happychick said:


> Thanks for looking at the pictures everyone, I saw that this morning under her mane and my heart skipped a beat! I am headed out to the barn now to check and see if it has gone down any. The good news is she was acting more like her old self today, not near so stiff in the neck and even did some grazing.
> The vet is coming back on Thursday to float my other horses teeth, so I am going to have a good talk with him then about this. I hear you guys, I think she has a major allergy, it has shaken me at how dramatically worse she was this time compared to last time. We will NOT be vaccinating her in the same way again - I don't want the risk either.
> 
> Will update again soon this evening on the swelling -


Yes spread the West NIle out about 2 to 3 weeks 4 in 1 is ok but it is a good idea to leave a spread in weeks before the WN shot.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Minelson said:


> I just want to add that one of my horses has reactions to vaccinations...He gets all lethargic, head hanging.. but no swelling. So I split the vaccinations up and only administer one per week. And I do the West Nile separate. So it's a 4way- Equine Influenza, Eastern & Western Encephalomyelitis and Tetanus one week...West Nile the next week...Rabies the week after that.
> I also have a pregnant Mini-Donk that had a reaction to the Rhino shot that she was supposed to get at 5, 7, 9 months pregnant. Well her neck really swelled up bad after the first one so I'm not doing it again. She did fine with the 4 way and the West Nile.


Yes I agree 100% in that spreading them up that way.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Just wanted to update everyone and say that she is doing so much better! Her swelling has gone way down, and she actually trotted into the barn for her grain tonight - pretty much back to normal. 

Thanks again everyone for all the advice and support, I can't say how much it means to me to know that I can run things like this past all you horse owners to get a wide range of experiences shared to learn more.

Thanks again, my horses & me appreciate it! :thumb:


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