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Tetanus shots
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Hi Everyone:
What is the latest evidence on tetanus shots? To give or not to give? and how long are they good for before a booster is necessary? I cannot find anything conclusive Thank you- Cheryl and Jewel Oct 2018 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Cheryl%20and%20Jewel https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=81063
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You can't find anything because there isn't anything! There are rapid titer test kits available in Europe, but as far as I know not here https://en.fassisi.at/products/large-livestock/horses-fassisi-tetacheck/
-- Eleanor in PA www.drkellon.com
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This is a tiny "study," but the results look pretty good. Is it such a small sample that it's essentially anecdotal?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26284567 -- Cass for Cayuse (PPID/IR) and Diamond (IR) Sonoma County, Calif. Oct. '12 Cayuse Case History Cayuse Photos Diamond Case History Diamond Photos
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When I first read that study I was excited that it supports longer vaccination intervals but detectable titer is not the same thing as protective titer. Humans and horses have similar sensitivity to tetanus. The established protective titer for humans is 0.1 IU/mL.
-- Eleanor in PA www.drkellon.com
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Thank you Dr. Kellon. In your opinion then, would you boost tetanus once a year for IR/Cushings horses due to their more fragile state?
Cheryl and Jewel -- Cheryl and Jewel Oct 2018 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Cheryl%20and%20Jewel https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=81063
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If I had access to a test kit, I would go by titers. For an IR/EMS horse other consideration is vaccine reactions. A horse that is in their teens or older and has been vaccinated yearly more than likely has a very high titers. Many horses were vaccinated more often than that because encephalitis vaccines used to all contain tetanus. In the past, when USDA ran titers, we had members test their horses and find high titers. When titers aren't available, it's the better part of valor to vaccinate but if the horse is having reactions the risk vs benefit ratio may shift toward not vaccinating.
-- Eleanor in PA www.drkellon.com
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