Tetanus vaccine and banding

[Bright Raven]

Ron, I suspect the reasoning of horses as carriers is the fact that they are more susceptible to the toxin. Also the way they are kept in yards and stables, a lot of manure around. People who have horses it is recommended they be up to date on tetanus shots as I guess they are in an environment high in horse faeces. Sheep are also reputed to carry a lot of tetanus but again shearing sheds and yards have a lot of sheep $hit around them and this is where a lot of castration, taildocking and previously muelsing takes place.

My view on giving the first TT at time of castration is that it is better than nothing and in particular with banding the tetanus risk may not be for a week or two after application of the band and active immunity may be starting to kick in by then.

Ken

I knew horses were carriers as are all ungulates. I agree with you on the TT issue. There is some immune response, at least better than nothing, but as Lucky has stated many times regarding achieving an acceptable immune response - there is a reason that Clostridial toxoid vaccines require 2 shots spaced at about 4 to 5 weeks.

 

[wbvs58]

Ron, I suspect the reasoning of horses as carriers is the fact that they are more susceptible to the toxin. Also the way they are kept in yards and stables, a lot of manure around. People who have horses it is recommended they be up to date on tetanus shots as I guess they are in an environment high in horse faeces. Sheep are also reputed to carry a lot of tetanus but again shearing sheds and yards have a lot of sheep $hit around them and this is where a lot of castration, taildocking and previously muelsing takes place.

My view on giving the first TT at time of castration is that it is better than nothing and in particular with banding the tetanus risk may not be for a week or two after application of the band and active immunity may be starting to kick in by then.

Ken

I knew horses were carriers as are all ungulates. I agree with you on the TT issue. There is some immune response, at least better than nothing, but as Lucky has stated many times regarding achieving an acceptable immune response - there is a reason that Clostridial toxoid vaccines require 2 shots spaced at about 4 to 5 weeks.

Ron, most vaccines and toxoids will give protective levels of antibodies after the first injection after about 10 days however this protective level is only short lived and by 6-8 weeks may drop below protective levels and this is why the 2nd dose is required, it will give an immune response much quicker 24-48 hrs and then give the longer level of protection. The 1st dose primes the system and 2nd dose immediately recognises the challenge from prior exposure and jumps on it.

Ken

 

[Bright Raven]

Ron, I suspect the reasoning of horses as carriers is the fact that they are more susceptible to the toxin. Also the way they are kept in yards and stables, a lot of manure around. People who have horses it is recommended they be up to date on tetanus shots as I guess they are in an environment high in horse faeces. Sheep are also reputed to carry a lot of tetanus but again shearing sheds and yards have a lot of sheep $hit around them and this is where a lot of castration, taildocking and previously muelsing takes place.
Ken

Thanks for the information on the role horses play in the epidemiology of tetanus. I knew they were carriers, I didn't know they were any greater source of tetani bacteria than a cow, pig, goat, etc.

 

[bball]

Since my husband died, we have been banding 90% of our bull calves at birth using the little green bands. Zero problems with them. Always keep my fingers crossed not problem with tetanus since there is no way of doing it at birth and having protection. We give nothing for it at that time. We do give an 8-way later on.
If Lucky_P gets back on, I am interested to know if I was told right. I was always told the rubber band is the problem that causes/lets the tetanus get started (moisture). Also, I was told that if you have horses on your farm, there is a higher chance of tetanus being on your land.

The band restricts blood flow to the tissues of the scrotum and testes. Including stopping flow of the testicular artery. That causes necrosis and leads to breaks in the skin's defenses. Tetani bacteria are ubiquitous. Especially in manure, soil, dirt, debris, etc. So the rubber band is the cause - it leads to strangulation at the top of the scrotum which puts the whole process in motion. I have never heard the moisture being a factor. Lucky can address that. I don't see any connection to horses being a factor.

If everything goes well, what I often see is a mummified scrotum without any significant necrosis.

The tetani bacteria are anerobic. The strangulation of the tissue creates a perfect anaerobic environment for the bacteria. This is the risk for tetanus with banding or the twist tools you put on a drill. Anything that causes a tourniquet effect (no blood flow = anaerobic environment) creates the habitat for tetanus bacteria to thrive if they are present. Any wound (or open umbilical stump on calfs)can provide the opportunity for the bacteria to enter the animal, especially if wound contacts manure, soil, etc.

When I lived in upstate NY, the farmer i labored for had a dairy heifer with tetanus. We kept her alive for weeks feeding her, watering, passive ROM exercises 3x daily. The vet was shocked and amazed she lasted as long as she did. Said there was very little research info about survivability in dairy cattle because no one was foolish enough to waste the time to mess with it. After a couple weeks, we could see why.