Curious about Tetanus

[Dale L]

What is the average time after banding a calf would show symptoms if he got tetanus? never had one just wondering. I am going to be giving the antitoxin and toxoid at banding then give the follow up toxoid shot about three weeks later.

 

[kenny thomas]

Lucky_P and some others can give you much better info but the only one I ever had started showing signs on the 8th day. I just did not know what the signs were.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I believe that you are suppose to give the first one a few weeks prior....
May be wrong though. I don't band much, can't remember for sure.

 

[wbvs58]

If you are giving the TAT as well as the TT at the time of castration you should be OK but vaccinating with TT prior to the event would be preferential. With the likes of banding I would expect tetanus to appear within a couple of weeks however with tetanus the spores can get in through an aerobic wound and sit in tissue harmlessly until something such as bruising causes anaerobic conditions whereby things get going, this can be over 6 months. I have seen horses with tetanus after being transported long distances in cattle trucks with no obvious wounds. It is always better to vaccinate than waiting for a wound.
Ken

 

[branguscowgirl]

I am now using Cavalry 9 (An 8 way with the tetanus included.) I will give this, then go back and booster when I band in a few weeks when they get their other boosters. Is this correct wbvs58?

 

[wbvs58]

I am now using Cavalry 9 (An 8 way with the tetanus included.) I will give this, then go back and booster when I band in a few weeks when they get their other boosters. Is this correct wbvs58?

Yes I think that would give you the best coverage Brangus active immunity will give the best protection over passive (antitoxin).
Ken

 

[Quigly]

In order to meet the label claim for teatnus, two doses of vaccine need to be given prior to banding, the second dose should be 10-14 days before you band. No one actually does that, but that's what is needed for Merck to stand behind the vaccine. It is by far most common for people to simply give a single dose of vaccine at the time of banding, but it is unlikely you see much benefit from this as far as tetanus protection goes.

 

[Lucky_P]

Quigly is correct. Ideally, two doses 2-4 weeks apart - or whatever the label directions state - with the second dose at least 2 weeks before the 'incident'.
That said, I'd be comfortable with an initial dose, then a booster 2-3 weeks later at the time of band application.

I had another banded bull submitted for necropsy this week, with tetanus, 400 pounder about 2-3 weeks out from band application. Producer was following UofKY/KCA CPH vaccination protocols...but was dismayed to find out that the Clostridial bacterin they recommended did NOT contain tetanus toxoid...so he'd lost a pretty decent calf (and the prospect of more...) as a result.
Sounds like some of these university extension folks need to think or re-think their recommendations and start including TT in the mix. With the ever-increasing use of banding as a means of castration on larger animals(though I see tetanus in banded baby calves, too), losses due to tetanus are a clear and present danger.
Have seen way too many wrecks where no tetanus protection was provided, or a bacterin containing TT was administered at band application, but the calf lost the race between developing an effective immune response and the organism ramping up toxin production.