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Discussion on HELP! I'm am IDIOT because I forget to vaccinate baby Rory...
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Martha E. Mitchell
Member
Username: mitma
Post Number: 188
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:12 pm: |   |
O.K. Gang... I need some advice... here's yet another example of what happens when someone has "too many" horses... (hmmm... who could have too many horses???)
Baby Rory (the 2007 offspring of my infamous ex-PMU appy mare with all the issues of the bad tooth, mandibular osteomyelitis, etc...) is now a happy, healthy, actively growing, good looking 16 month old gelding... during the winter, he spent a few months away at "training", then he spent the spring "hanging out" with a bunch of other yearlings at one of my equine vet's place, then, until last week, he was on summer vacation with my two other "adopted" yearlings (and other horses) at my parents farm on the "rivah"...
So, in my delusion of wanting to save all the unwanted horses, turn them into good horse citizens, then be able to re-home them to "perfect people and places", etc..., I decided I needed to take Rory to a show... (despite the fact that he is a SOLID bay appy, I had planned on going to an ApHC show and entering him in halter, which is "western", hunter-in hand, and yearling lounge line, and, yes, I have NOT participated in a horse show in 30 years!) So, to get him ready for the show, I brought him back to a boarding barn near my home and we have been working regularly.
Now, the story gets good... I have other horses at this barn and I have a great, relaxed relationship with the manager... So, I trailored him over, dropped him off, went away for a couple of days (stuck working), and told her I would be back with all his "papers". Now, for the EMBARRASSMENT... when I looked for the records of his spring vaccinations, I could NOT find any... and, I am a very organized person! Long story short, due to when I moved him from the "training" place in the winter to one of my vet's places in the spring time, he got OVERLOOKED!!!! I really thought he had been included in the spring schedule of vaccinations! YIKES, I FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT... and, I am concerned I have really put him at risk. Basically, the ONLY vaccinations he has ever received involved an initial, two dose series of E/W/T, R/F, Rabies, WNV, PHF, and IN S. equi, late last fall... Now, I know this varies a bit from Dr. O's (as well as the AAEP's recomendations, www.aaep.org/vaccination_guidelines.htm), but this approach is what one of my equine vets utilizes... The last time he got anything was November 26, 2007... again, YIKES!!!
So, what's the best thing to do... if we vaccinate him NOW, will he develop satisfactory immunity in the next 10 days (so we can still go to the show...) or should I not even attempt to do this now, and if not, is it irresponsible to take him to a show... most importantly, would I be putting him at risk (emphasis on his rhino/flu status), clearly something I do NOT want to do!
On a humorous note, if I can't take him to the show, I will use my brand new "western" boots, hat, and "decorative" shirt for a Halloween costume of me pretending to be Tammy Wynette... oh, but I will have to dye my hair red and loose about 50lbs!
Thanks for any advice!
Martha
P.S., Ann, if your read this, don't worry, I still really want to focus on dressage and hope for the perfect appy sporthorse eventually!
Here's a picture of Rory (far left) with his two step sisters (left to right), Darcy and Lucy, at the "rivah"...
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Ann
Member
Username: dres
Post Number: 1931
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:28 pm: | |
Phew!  Martha you had me worried..  I have no advice re the shots.. but am very glad you are enjoying your herd.. ** I am flying to Arizona in Sept. to look at a Knappy Stallion, egads this IS a illness **
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Julie Masner
Member
Username: juliem
Post Number: 449
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:38 pm: | |
More horses, never fewer. It must not be a true addiction or there'd be a 12 step program. I suppose we could start one online. Whenever I start to look on dreamhorse, I call one of you.....wait, you'd offer to bring the trailer! That isn't going to work! |
Ann
Member
Username: dres
Post Number: 1932
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2008 - 11:55 pm: | |
Julie, or offer you a horse for sale.. I think that trade idea was a good one on another post..
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: mrose
Post Number: 3868
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:05 am: | |
Julie, it sure wouldn't work! Not only would one of us encourage you, we'd probably end up bringing home another horse for ourselves!!
Martha, I think as we get older our mind have these "gaps" or something, regardless of how well organized we are! I keep records, have a calendar, use post-its, and put stuff in my cell phone, and I STILL forget stuff! The WORSE, horse wise, was forgetting to register a foal. I started the process, but got sick and had a surgery or two about the time the DNA kit came and never sent it in. I realized I had forgotten when I couldn't find her papers while getting ready for a show! Luckily, I had time to send in another $50 for a kit and get her done.
Nice looking horse, btw! Good builds.
As to the shots, I think I'd give them to him ASAP and think he'd be o.k. I'd also carry a bottle of antibacterial stall spray or clorox-water mix to spray and try and keep him away from other horses' noses, etc. while at the show. MOST (but not all) show folks are pretty good about shots, but I suppose it depends on the type/class of show, too.
Dr. O can tell you for sure. Of course, you can always wait for the next show if you are uncertain and don't want to take a chance. There's usually more shows around.
Watch out! You might enjoy yourself at a show and have to get back into it. |
Cindy O'DELL
Member
Username: zarr
Post Number: 1116
Registered: 6-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:55 am: | |
Martha as for horses just think potato chips and practice putting the bag down! Rory looks wonderful. Think Sara is right, my vet once said to give it two weeks! On the bright side new boots new hat and all that stuff is good right!If you can't make it more time to practice and maybe 2nd pair of boots! |
Angie J.
Member
Username: ajudson1
Post Number: 1901
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 7:40 am: | |
He looks great!
I have to agree with Sara here, I do think we have like brain gaps, blimps, or something. I used to pride myself on remembering everything for everyone, now I tell them "you have to remember your own crap, I can't even keep track of my stuff!" lol!
I sometimes forget if I even fed the horses, so don't feel bad. Now they are getting hay instead of out on pasture, so I need to get in the routine of putting hay out 2x daily.
I think if you vaccinate now his immunity will be fine by the show. And even if it's been awhile, (really been awhile!) he's had the bad bugs introduced into his system and I would think that would account for something.
About this having too many horses: How does one ever decide which one to part with? Every 3 days or so, hubby says "ONE HAS TO GO" and it's like choosing which one of my children to get rid of! (Well, some days that would be an easy choice, I've threatened to trade one 14 year old daughter in for a gold fish or something less stressful, lol!)
As bad as parting with books! (man, but we ALL need help!) |
Elizabeth Kaufman
Member
Username: ekaufman
Post Number: 612
Registered: 3-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 9:46 am: | |
Hey,
Based on his history, he's likely been exposed to several of the things you'd vaccinate against. That's no guarantee that he won't either get sick or get others sick, but his immune system ought not to be totally naive at this point. I doubt those shots will be much help for this show, but you can always quarantine him when he gets home (can you?) if you are concerned that he's been exposed.
Brain gaps, nothing. I think I forget more than I remember these days. My goof of the week was forgetting that second semi-load of grass hay, and dropping 2 stacker loads of alfalfa where that semi-load needs to go. So guess who's re-stacking all that alfalfa by hand?
If I could forget how to stack hay, life would get easier! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21223
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 10:14 am: | |
Hello Martha,
10 days is a bit short for a amnestic (booster) response to a vaccine, 21 days is a often quoted time.
DrO |
Martha E. Mitchell
Member
Username: mitma
Post Number: 190
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 7, 2008 - 8:01 pm: | |
Hey Everyone!
I didn't want you to think that I didn't appreciate all the advice rendered, because I really did... after a discussion with my equine vet and after further consideration, I did elect to take Rory to the Labor Day weekend horseshow (and he had received his immunizations just shy of two weeks earlier)...
Well, it was fun, stressful, incredibly energy consuming, and a real eye opener to the "modern" show world, at least on the Appaloosa circuit! Also, I spent an incredible amount of money ('cause I took 2 horses, rented a weekend of stalls, registration and futurity fees, hotel, gas, and the emergency Walmart trip at midnight the night before the show, because I needed to buy hairspray for Rory's thick and wavy mane!), which may explain why when I went to log onto to HA today, I got a message that said my membership had expired  ...
I suspect the credit card I had on file had been "overused" somewhat in the past few weeks and probably denied any further legitimate charges, like the HA quarterly renewal!
Anyway, we're back at home, safe and with no evidence of infectious complications...
Thanks again!
Martha |
Jo Ann Widner
Member
Username: jowidner
Post Number: 194
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 7, 2008 - 8:52 pm: | |
Glad everything went well Martha. Love to hear more about your experiences at the show. |
Fran C
Member
Username: canter
Post Number: 1671
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Sep 8, 2008 - 7:12 am: | |
How 'bout some pictures of the show, Martha? |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21340
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Sep 8, 2008 - 8:05 am: | |
Glad the show went well Martha and welcome back!
DrO |
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