Equine
Tetanus


A
Tech nic al
 De scrip ti on
by
Vic tor ia
 Hyn e s 





Tetanus,
also
known
as
“lockjaw,”
is
an
extremely
serious
neurological
disease.
The

toxin
produced
by
the
bacteria
affects
the
horse’s
central
nervous
system.
Horses

are
the
most
susceptible
animal
to
tetanus
and
the
mortality
rate
is
very
high.
It
is

an
acute
fatal
disease
for
more
than
80%
of
afflicted
horses.
For
this
reason,
it
is

important
for
all
horse
owners
to
be
educated
about
tetanus
and
how
to
prevent
it.



What
ca use s
it?


Tetanus
is
caused
when
a
wound
becomes
infected
with
the

bacterial
spores
of
Clostridium
tetani.
The
bacterium
is

naturally
found
in
soil
and
more
commonly,
horse
manure.

The
disease
is
transmitted
to
a
horse
when
the
bacterial

spores
come
in
contact
with
an
open
wound
–
usually
deep

puncture
wounds.
The
persistent
spores
germinate
under

low
oxygen
conditions,
multiply,
and
produce
a
very

powerful
toxin,
tetanospasmin,
into
the
bloodstream
that

affects
the
horse’s
muscles.
Some
cases
of
tetanus
occur

from
wounds
that
are
so
small
they
are
not
even
noticed

until
the
horse
displays
signs
of
being
unwell.



What
are
the
sy mpt oms? 


The
horse
will
progressively
become
more
rigid
in
his
or
her
movement
and
display

unnatural
symptoms
including:



• stiff
walk,
raised
tail,
pricked
ears

• inability
to
bend
or
flex
neck
 Pricked
• loss
of
appetite

 ears
• difficulty
swallowing
 Raised
• inability
to
open
mouth
to
eat
and
 tail
Paralysis of






drink
due
to
lockjaw
 breathing
• protrusion
and
uncontrollable
 muscles






closing
of
the
third
eyelid

• extreme
sensitivity
to
stimuli
‐
noise,








touch,
and
light

• distortion
of
facial
muscles
–
facial







expression
may
seem
“frozen”
with


 Stiff legged
eyes
wide,
ears
flat
back,
etc.

 gait
• increased
respiration
and
heart
rate



It
is
manifested
by
the
spasmodic
contraction
of
the
voluntary
muscles.
Painful
and

frequent
muscle
spasms
affecting
small
areas
or
even
the
horse’s
entire
body

become
noticeable.
The
bacteria
rapidly
affects
circulation
and
discharges
the

powerful
toxin
into
localized
muscle
groups
or
even
worse,
the
horse’s
entire
body.

As
the
disease
progresses
the
muscles
become
so
rigid
and
stiff
that
the
horse
may

fall
and
not
be
able
to
get
up
again.
Convulsions
may
occur
and
eventually
death.

Death
is
almost
always
due
to
paralysis
of
the
breathing
muscles
(the
contracting

and
expanding
muscles
in
the
lungs)
and
the
horse
can
no
longer
breathe.
The
toxin

advances
rapidly
so
it
is
important
to
diagnose
early
and
treat
properly.




How
is
it
diagnosed?



Diagnosis
is
usually
based
on
clinical
signs
and
a
history
of
injury.
The
wound
may

not
be
obvious
or
it
may
be
healed
before
signs
appear
so
routinely
check
the
horse

for
wounds.

In
addition,
it
is
important
to
know
that
tetanus
is
a
noncommunicable

disease—it
is
not
transmitted
from
one
horse
to
another.



How
is
it
treated?



Treatment
involves
the
use
of
tetanus
antitoxin
to
neutralize
unbound
circulating

toxin,
penicillin
to
prevent
further
growth
of
Clostridium
tetani,
muscle
relaxants
to

relax
rigid
muscles,
and
supportive
therapy
until
the
toxin
is
eliminated
or

destroyed.
The
horse
may
need
to
be
fed
through
a
tube
if
the
mouth
and
jaw
have

gone
into
spasm.
Keep
affected
horses
in
a
quiet,
stress
free,
darkened
stall.

Treatment
is
difficult,
time
consuming,
expensive,
and
often
unsuccessful
so
it
is

important
to
take
measures
to
prevent
tetanus.



How
is
it
prevented?



Vaccination
with
tetanus
toxoid
is
the

only
way
to
provide
safe,
long‐term

protection
against
tetanus.
Tetanus

vaccine
alone
provides
long‐lasting

protection
but
immunity
takes
up
to
two

weeks
to
develop,
and
an
injured
horse

may
develop
tetanus
before
protection
is

achieved.
For
this
reason,
both
tetanus

toxoid
and
tetanus
antitoxin
should
be

administered
simultaneously
on
different

sides
of
the
neck
for
optimal
immediate

and
long‐term
protection.







When
should
the
vaccine
be
administered?



Vaccinations
can
be
given
to
any
animal
over
3
months
of
age
and
should
always
be

administered
by
a
veterinarian.




Vaccination
timetable
is
as
follows:

 Primary
dose
by
injection
into
the
neck
muscle
of
the
horse

 Secondary
dose
by
injection
28
days
later
again
by
injection
into
the
horse’s

neck

 Follow
up
or
Booster
injection
to
be
administered
no
more
than
one
year

(365
days)
after
the
secondary
dose.

 Boosters
after
this
are
recommended
every
five
years.



This
timetable
is
only
a
guide
and
one
should
take
their
veterinarians
advice
on
the

frequency
of
booster
vaccinations
based
on
the
manufacturers’
recommendation
he

or
she
chooses.
However,
if
the
timetable
or
veterinarian’s
recommendation
for

vaccinations
is
not
followed
correctly,
then
your
horse
will
no
receive
effective

immunization
and
be
at
risk
of
contracting
the
disease.




How
is
the
vaccine
administered
and
does
the
vaccine
cause
a

reaction?



The
vaccine
is
administered

intramuscularly.
The
convenient
site
for

the
injection
is
the
center
of
the
side
of

the
neck.
Like
a
number
of
other

vaccines,
it
can
cause
a
local
swelling
at

the
site
of
injection.
Provided
the

injection
has
been
carried
out

aseptically,
any
swelling
should
resolve

spontaneously.



What
does
the
vaccination
cost?



The
cost
of
vaccination
against
equine
tetanus
may
vary
slightly
from
one
veterinary

practice
to
another.
You
may
be
able
to
split
the
cost
of
call
out
between
you
and
the

rest
of
your
barn
or
alternatively
some
veterinarians
permit
you
to
transport
your

horse
to
the
practice
so
that
you
do
not
have
to
pay
a
call
out
charge
at
all.

Widespread
vaccination
has
dramatically
reduced
the
number
of
cases
of
the

disease
but
every
horse
owner
must
be
proactive.



What
do
you
give
an
unvaccinated
horse
with
a
wound?



If
an
unvaccinated
horse
is
injured,
tetanus
antitoxin
should
be
administered
to

provide
immediate
(protection
in
2‐3
hours)
but
short‐term
(3
week)
protection.

Horses
given
tetanus
antitoxin
can
develop
tetanus
once
the
levels
of
antitoxin
have

dropped
below
the
protective
level
so
another
dose
should
be
prepared.
It
is

extremely
risky
if
owners
are
relying
on
the
use
of
tetanus
antitoxin
given
to
horses,

after
a
wound,
to
protect
them
against
tetanus,
as
some
cases
of
tetanus
occur
from

wounds,
which
are
so
small
they
are
not
noticed.
In
other
words,
all
horses
should

be
given
the
tetanus
toxoid
vaccine
for
optimal
protection.



Should
a
horse
that
has
survived
the
disease
or
newly
purchased

horses
get
vaccinated?



A
horse
that
has
survived
the
disease
is
not
automatically
immune
to
the
disease

and
therefore
should
still
be
vaccinated
as
part
of
their
annual
health
care
check
up.

If
you
have
recently
purchased
a
horse
and
unsure
whether
the
animal
has
been

vaccinated
previously,
speak
to
your
veterinarian
about
starting
a
course
of

vaccinations
in
order
to
immunize
your
horse
successfully.















Works
Cited



Cherokee
Animal
Clinic.
"Equine
Tetanus."
Cherokee
Animal
Clinic.
N.p.,
n.d.
Web.
29


 Mar.
2010.
<http://www.cherokeeanimalclinic.com/equinetetanus.htm>.



College
of
Agricultural
Sciences
Penn
State
Extension.
"Disease:
Equine
Tetanus."


 Penn
State
Extension.
N.p.,
16
July
2008.
Web.
29
Mar.
2010


 <http://www.extension.org/pages/Disease:_Equine_Tetanus>.



Pfizer
Veterinary
Services.
"Tetanus
Information
Page."
Equivac.
Pfizer
Animal


 Health,

2005.
Web.
29
Mar.
2010

 <http://www.cyberhorse.net.au/csl/tetanus.htm>.



PracticalHorseKeeping.com.
"Equine
Tetanus."
PracticalHorseKeeping.com.
2008.


 Web.
29
Mar.
2010.
<http://www.practicalhorsekeeping.com/

 EquineTetanus.html>.