Tetanus

[Cajun Casey]

I'm not a huge fan of Bark Magazine due to their anti-breeder stance, but this is important. I've seen two dogs die of tetanus, including one my own that had the symptoms without any indication of a wound. Combined with the AKC's Mean Seeds project, I think this is sufficient grounds for the dog community, et al, to push for a valid tetanus protocol including a canine specific test and anti-toxin.

http://www.thebark.com/content/tetanus- ... usty-nails

[mountaindogs]

I also have seen two animals with tetanus. One dog that died, and one cat (that scratched me while in hospital) that lived, but took nearly 1.5 months hospitalized with feeding tube, some time on a respirator, and all kinds of stuff.

[Birddog3412]

I had a dog step on a sharp piece of metal. I called my vet to ask about a tetnus shot. He said in 35 years he had never given a dog a tetnus shot but if I wanted one to bring her in. I didn't. What are the signs of tetnus?

[mountaindogs]

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professiona ... tanus.html

[Cajun Casey]

In dogs, symptoms include inability to move the neck and a protrudent stare. Generalized stiffness and lack of appetite are also early warnings. The speculation is that the disease has been highly overlooked in dogs and there are no canine vaccinations or antitoxins available.

[ezzy333]

Since it seems the likelyhood of a dog getting tetnus is slightly less than being hit by lightning it is something I think I will take a chance on till I see a need.

Ezzy

[Cajun Casey]

I believe if studies continue, canine tetanus will turn out to be a black swan. I've lost two to the disease and know of several other dogs that died after mysterious maladies failed to respond to a variety of treatments. I shared the topic article with a friend who is a vet and she said she had just this week seen a dog that was a likely victim.

[mountaindogs]

It isn't very common. Tick borne illness would be much higher on my list for limping, stiffness, and lameness...
I actually saw it in a Baboon at a rehab center in South Africa also, but that was so many years ago... Strangely that animal also lived, though the incidence of animals living through it is very rare as I understand it.

Lady at the health department who gave me shot after the cat scratch, said she had seen it in one person during nursing school. An older gentleman who had not had his boosters for anything in many many years. She said it seemed to have been very painful and she would not want to deal with it.

I have always thought it odd that livestock are vaccinated for it but dogs and cats not. Maybe a vet here knows something about transmission or immunity that is different between the livestock, and the small animals.

Cajun Casey,
That must be hard! I can't imagine... if I personally had lost 2 it would not be rare at all to me. I am so sorry. Must make it frustrating to know there is a deadly disease, preventable for cattle and humans that you have to take your chances with for the dogs. I do think there is a canine vaccine, but it is not proven effective?? Or perhaps just not readily available?? But maybe I am wrong

[Cajun Casey]

There is no canine vaccine. The toxoid is administered as indicated and on the dog we treated we used horse serum. We almost made it with her. The vet had never heard of tetanus in dogs, didn't have a protocol and was late getting the proper antibiotic in her. We called every vet school in four states. The second dog went quickly, with definite sypmtoms coming only during his last 24 hours. The vet who had seen him at the emergency clinic couldn't make a diagnosis but guessed, oddly, botulism. I had had him out in a hay pasture the previous weekend and the possibility of a grass awn being the vector is high. He would have been two this past Friday.

Here's an article on a sucessful treatment where the suspected entry was at the gumline due to teething.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2583421/

[mountaindogs]

That is a tremedously informative article!

[dog dr]

tetanus is tetanus is tetanus. I have seen 2 dogs with it over the last 10 years, one we saved, one we didnt. generally the same signs across species. would be pretty questionable to me to guess botulism on a tetanus case because the toxins associated with each one have the exact opposite effect on the body. as far as vaccination is concerned, tetanus toxoid is tetanus toxoid, and the same tetanus toxoid should work across species. same treatment, too. Penicillin and anti-toxin, supportive care. find the wound if you can, debride and flush it out. vaccination is cheap, easy, and as far as i know effective. only reason its not part of the normal canine vaccine protocol is because its SO RARE in dogs.