Can anyone tell me if you can give tetnus antitoxin sub-Q or is it given intramuscularly (SP) Thanks for any help. Nancy

-- Nancy Steele (nsteele@theofficenet.com), May 27, 2001

Answers

NANCY, SHOTS FOR GOATS ARE USUALLY GIVEN SUB Q. WE HAVE GOATS AND THAT'S HOW THE VET GAVE THEM. GOD BLESS PRISCILLA MOUNTAIN ASHE ACRES FARM

-- PRISCILLA (MTASHEACRES@AOL.COM), May 27, 2001.

Nancy, the direction on my bottle of vaccine says to give it sub- q...now Vicki here on the forum says you can give it IM......I never have.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), May 27, 2001.

o.k. I will post again, I did get with Nancy privately. Antitoxin is am IM shot. Now Tetanus Toxoid is given subq, and if you use the Bar Vac brand of CD&T you can use this either subq or IM. Toxoid has the directions as subq for the cattle industry. I prefer to use stuff like this IM to hide the lump (granuloma) that is formed because of immunity. If you choose to give subq vaccinations most of the time a lump will form, most will absorb, some will stay a lump and some will abscess. I am just not comfortable with those odds, and the thought that someone will mistakenly think that a goat I have vaccinated has a CL abscess instead of just a shot site, isn't worth the worry. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 27, 2001.

Just a word of caution. When ever you administer a drug or vaccination by IM route, always pull back slightly on the plunger before depressing it fully. If blood appears, extract the needle and deliver the injection at another sight. The appearance of blood can mean that you have pierced a vein. Many drugs that are safe to administer Sub Q or IM are not meant to be given IV (intravenous). IM delivers the drug more quickly to the system but if the drug is irritating to tissue Sub Q is recommended. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian.

-- Nancy Bakke-McGonigle Mn. Sunset (dmcgonig@smig.net), May 27, 2001.

Keep in mind, antitoxin is for use when there is an immediate risk of contracting tetanus,i.e., deep puncture wound, castration, etc. in an animal that has not been previously immunized. If you are just doing routine vaccinations, you want to use tetanus toxoid. I use separate clostridium and tetanus vaccines. Never had a reaction to tetanus, but frequent lumps/abscesses from clostridium vaccines. Once I tried giving it i.m. and ended up with one poor goat with a huge abscess in a hind leg - it was nasty and she was quite lame. I have since gone back to s.q. for clostridium. Abscesses are easier to deal with s.q.

-- Sandy (scwilson@mindspring.com), May 30, 2001.