My Cryptoclearance mare came down with a case of Botulism about 2 weeks ago. She pulled through the botulism with about $3,000 worth of antitoxin and other drugs and still has her May foal.. However, she is now trying to founder.
I've given that mare a Botulism vaccine every year for the past five years and the best the Vet and I can figure is she must have never had the initial three dose in three months series of botulism vaccine.
None of the other three mares running with her have came down with anything and we suspect a small rat or rabbit was in the round bale they were all eating. The remains of that bale was removed as soon as we suspected botulism.
My Vet says Botulism vaccine is 100% effective if admninistered properly.
griff
Botulism
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster, madelyn
My partner keeps our horses and he was the one that called the Vet. When you Google Botulism it says the clinical signs "can be confusing w/other conditions such as; rabies, EPM, tetanus, Azoturin, etc.
However, it usually progresses rapidly. Our Vet drew blood and sent it to a Lab in California for them to determine if she had botulism but cautioned that if it was botulism she would be too far gone by the time we recieved the results to administer the antitoxin.. So we administered the antitoxin when he drew the blood..
A snow storm delayed the delivery of the blood sample to the lab and when we finally recieved the report all it did was tell what it was not.. This was actually valuable information as the people caring for this mare did not have to take shots for rabies..
My readings say botulism will run it's course in a week to 10 days which has passed however she is now foundering and has a very thick placinta which is being treated with medication.
What is amazing to me is she has not aborted her May foal. Actually, it is also amazing tome that she is still alive.. I think the immediate administration of the antitoxin and the annual botulism vaccinations combined is why we still have her [and are still pouring a ton of money into her care.]
My lesson is to give every thing I purchase or produce the initial three shot series as soon as they arrive or at 3 months for new born foals.. The problem is going to be how to give the three shot series to in-foal mares.. My Vet cautioned that I not vaccinate the remaining in-foal mares until 30 days prior to their due date.. I'll also give a second botulism vaccine immediately after the mares foal and maybe wait a month and give them a third botulism vaccine before they are bred back.
I've also looked at the records for my yearlings and some of them did not receive all of their vaccinations at 30 day internvals.. My partner and I are going to start over on a couple of them as soon as he returns from Haiti.
griff
However, it usually progresses rapidly. Our Vet drew blood and sent it to a Lab in California for them to determine if she had botulism but cautioned that if it was botulism she would be too far gone by the time we recieved the results to administer the antitoxin.. So we administered the antitoxin when he drew the blood..
A snow storm delayed the delivery of the blood sample to the lab and when we finally recieved the report all it did was tell what it was not.. This was actually valuable information as the people caring for this mare did not have to take shots for rabies..
My readings say botulism will run it's course in a week to 10 days which has passed however she is now foundering and has a very thick placinta which is being treated with medication.
What is amazing to me is she has not aborted her May foal. Actually, it is also amazing tome that she is still alive.. I think the immediate administration of the antitoxin and the annual botulism vaccinations combined is why we still have her [and are still pouring a ton of money into her care.]
My lesson is to give every thing I purchase or produce the initial three shot series as soon as they arrive or at 3 months for new born foals.. The problem is going to be how to give the three shot series to in-foal mares.. My Vet cautioned that I not vaccinate the remaining in-foal mares until 30 days prior to their due date.. I'll also give a second botulism vaccine immediately after the mares foal and maybe wait a month and give them a third botulism vaccine before they are bred back.
I've also looked at the records for my yearlings and some of them did not receive all of their vaccinations at 30 day internvals.. My partner and I are going to start over on a couple of them as soon as he returns from Haiti.
griff
"We has met the enemy and he is us" [Pogo]
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