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| Author |
Message |
    
Mary Mistovich (Marym)
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 21, 2002 - 1:15 pm: |   |
Anybody have any input regarding this vaccine? Is it effective? What are the risks involved?
thankyou!
MaryM |
Elizabeth Donahue (Paul303)
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 21, 2002 - 8:08 pm: | |
I'm in NJ where there have been cases. All the horses were vaccinated last year on the vet's advice. There are nine horses, all of different backgrounds, breeding and ages. There were no problems, and with the misery this disease can cause, I would not hesitate to get it again. You should research West Nile Virus on the web, and see what the stats are on your state. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 22, 2002 - 8:16 am: | |
Hello Mary,
Your questions are answered in the article, Equine Diseases: Nervous System: West Nile Virus.
DrO |
Jackie Dayman (Becky)
| | Posted on Saturday, Feb 23, 2002 - 11:55 am: | |
The vet gave my 3 horses the West Nile shot on Tuesday. 2 of them had no adverse reaction but the 3 year old has had a fever for at least 2 days. She doesn't want to drink at all so vet tubed some fluids and electrolytes yesterday and will probably have to do so again today.
Based on what I read and heard this is a rare reaction. But the West Nile was the only shot we gave so I can't tie it to anything else. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Sunday, Feb 24, 2002 - 8:39 am: | |
Thanks Jackie,
Yours is the first such report we have received. Is the neck stiff or swelling around the injection site? Usually these type reactions with other injections are easily (and cheaply) treated with bute, assuming this is not a bacterial abscess from contamination of the injection site.
DrO |
Jackie Dayman (Becky)
| | Posted on Sunday, Feb 24, 2002 - 12:12 pm: | |
No, the injection site doesn't seem to be affected at all. I agree that bute is an easy, cheap way to treat but unfortunately it wasn't getting her comfortable enough to drink even using a 2 gram dose. Her temperature was down to 101 yesterday(from 103.3 the day before) and there are signs she is coming around slowly. I did have fluids tubed again yesterday along with a shot of Banamine since she still wasn't drinking.
In an academic sense this is interesting since as you say, there are no reports of this kind of reaction. I wonder if people are giving the West Nile along with a series of shots so that if they get this reaction, it can't be isolated to the West Nile?
Jackie |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 25, 2002 - 6:06 am: | |
Though I would not rule it our completely this does not sound like a vaccine reaction. With no heat, swelling, or soreness at the injection site and the lack of rapid responsive to bute, I think this is a systemic viral infection. This does happen in horses with no history of exposure to disease and is usually herpes but sometimes you just do not know.
DrO |
Jackie Dayman (Becky)
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 25, 2002 - 6:43 pm: | |
Not to go too far afield but isn't West Nile itself a systemic viral infection? She was a little better yesterday but has regressed today. My main concern is dehydration and I'll keep up with the bute and have my vet out as needed. Its almost too coincidental that this happened within 24-48 hours after the vaccine. Either way from what I read the treatment would be pretty much the same, fluids and bute, am I correct?
Thanks
Jackie |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 25, 2002 - 10:31 pm: | |
Hello Jackie,
West Nile Virus is a disease that attacks the nervous system, so the diagnosis is based on some characteristic neurological signs. You may not understand that the vaccines are not live vaccines, in fact they do not contain the whole organism at all, only antigenically active parts that cannot cause "West Nile like disease". Of course you could hypothesize an error in manufacturing but the virus would not live in the bottle.
This is very coincidental from your point of view, but not at all from the big picture. When thousands of doses are given and you get one report of illness following an injection you have to wonder is it the vaccine or was it coincidence. Then when you add to it that it does not sound like a typical vaccine reaction it leads credence to the idea it is not the vaccine. In the same vein, you see horses with odd fevers all the time that do not seem to come from anywhere and respond well to conservative treatment.
We have personally given about a hundred doses so far this year and still have had no reports of unusual vaccine reactions. Let it happen a second time following a second injection to the same horse and you will have a more convincing argument that your horse has a odd sensitivity to the injection. That becomes the big question do you follow it up with the booster shot so the horse will be protected or do you just skip this horse? The answer should depend on the risk in your area.
Bute yes, but I have not ever had to run or tube fluids to a vaccine reaction or for flu like symptoms. Tubing in a couple of gallons of water and electrolytes once daily to fight dehydration is not likely to be necessary. If this were a problem it would take much more fluid to maintain a proper hydration. But not being there perhaps the vet sees something I am not.
DrO |
Mary L Sutliff
New Member
Username: Mtnrider
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Friday, Jan 10, 2003 - 6:27 pm: | |
We have five horses that received the WNV shots this fall. On the second injection one horse had a reaction. At first there was a large swelling at the injection site. This was treated with cold packs, bute and later hot packs. The swelling went down but a few days later the horse could not lift his head and was in a lot of pain. More bute and hot packs and he seemed to improve. However, the horse's neck was still stiff and he did not want to bend it to the left(side of injection). The neck was ultrasounded and fluid could be seen so it was thought the abcess had internalized. Our vet tried to lance it but was not sucessful as the fluid was not in a pocket but spead over a larger area. Within the last 2 weeks the horse has started to bend his neck more but is still not really back to normal. He never had a fever and never went off his feed. If this horse ever stopped eating I'd really worry! The shot that caused the reaction was given on Oct. 2 so this has been going on for three months! This horse, El Dazo, is on pasture 24/7 and is kept here at home. I think he is almost over this but it's been a really long haul and I would like some advice on whether or not to give him a booster in the spring. He has always been healthy and well cared for. We live in Western Washington. Our property does not have standing water or a pond so here at home our mosquito problem is low but this horse is ridden a lot and of course, it is impossible to stay away from areas with mosquitos. He is a trail horse, we ride and pack in the mountains as much as possible and the horse is ridden year round. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 7568
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, Jan 11, 2003 - 12:20 pm: | |
Hello Mary,
It is uncertain if the horse reacted strongly to the vaccine or if the problem was a infection, which may be a one time event. Also local vaccine reactions can sometimes be prevented by predosing with bute then continuing it for 3 days after.
I know these do not answer your question and it is impossible to know if the next time you will have any reaction, the same reaction, or a worse one. If the risk of WNV is relatively low, I would avoid it. If the risk becomes high try the pre and postinjection bute, be prepared for anaphalaxis, and if the bute doesn't control it, consider the use of steroids to bring the reaction back in line.
DrO |
Mary L Sutliff
Member
Username: Mtnrider
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Friday, Mar 14, 2003 - 5:52 pm: | |
Dr O, It has been a wet spring here in western Washington and mosquitoes are already present so I have to decide whether to give a WNV booster to El Dazo. I am hesitant but will be talking to our vet as to the risk involved. If I decide to predoze with bute how many dozes and at what strength should it be given both before and after the shot? |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 7977
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, Mar 15, 2003 - 3:11 pm: | |
You will find recommended dosages for Bute at » Equine Medications and Nutriceuticals » Anti-inflammatories, Steroids, and Arthritis Treatment » Phenylbutazone. With the approval of your vet use the middle recommendations twice a day giving the first dose just before the vaccination. Be sure to read the whole article however so you thoroughly understand its use.
DrO |
Mary L Sutliff
Member
Username: Mtnrider
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Jun 26, 2003 - 2:05 pm: | |
Dr O-I have an update on El Dazo and it is not good. We decided not to give him a WNV booster as we didn't want to take a chance on another reaction. He has had some off and on lameness problems since his the original reaction. This horse has always had good feet so we were concerned and had a set of Xrays taken. To make a long story short he has some rotation dating back about six months. Our vet says the timing is such that the rotation was probably part of the reaction. This was determined by the xrays and examination of the horses hoofs. With good farrier & vet care Daz should be able to return to full work but to say I am upset is putting it mildly! |
Cynthia Dittmar
New Member
Username: Ryle
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 9, 2004 - 3:58 pm: | |
Dr. O,
With all the talk of the West Nile Vaccine causing abortions, sterility and deformed or dead foals, has there been any recent research to prove or disprove the connection with the vaccine and these problems?
If you know of any research that can be accessed via the internet, I would love to read it.
Thank you,
Ryle |
Lanna Tucker
Member
Username: Lanna1
Post Number: 53
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 9, 2004 - 5:37 pm: | |
Hi DrO, Mary and others!
I've enjoyed reading your posts about the WNV vaccine as I too am very interested in any and all information regarding the contraversy with this shot.
I didn't vaccinate any of my herd last year simply because I wasn't satisfied with the information I had to make an informed decision as far as the safety elements when not only vaccinating regular stock, but bred or milking mares as well.
You'll have to keep up posted Mary as to the rotation you've found on your gelding?!?
Have they done enough research on this vaccine to argue that these "mishaps" that are occurring are simply a coincidence and not caused from the vaccine itself?
I've already had a difficult winter with my horses, I certainly don't want to add insult to injury - nor do I wish to put my horses at risk for the virus.
Thanks for any and all information on this topic & good luck with the prognosis of your gelding Mary - please keep us posted as to your progress in reaching a diagnosis...
Lanna |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 9932
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 10, 2004 - 7:53 am: | |
A large amount of research and practical experience with the vaccine have not found the reproductive problems with the WNV vaccine you outline. I vaccinated dozens of pregnant mares last year without a single problem. Though we get published studies in our veterinary journals, I do not know of any published on the internet.
DrO |
Lanna Tucker
Member
Username: Lanna1
Post Number: 55
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 10, 2004 - 11:43 am: | |
Thanks DrO,
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to go ahead with the vaccine this year as my Vet is certain that it's the better risk to take as well.
Lanna |
