Heptavac P reactions

[Onwards and Upwards]

Being a sensible and efficient shepherd I used the only dry day for the foreseeable to heptavac my ewe lambs. Did the first 250. No issues. Changed bottles. 2 out of the next 10 started fitting and subsequently died as soon as they were off the Clamp. Changed bottles. Notified MSD and awaiting a PM in the morning. Next 150 done. Not a bother. Anyone had any similar instances over the years. I’ve literally done 10s of 000s over the years and I’ve never seen or heard of it before.

 

[andybk]

yes had small issues with it , a decade ago, 8 week old lambs odd one or two , droopy ears , blew and died annoyingly some of the better singles , moved to ovivac no more issues , now moved again to bravoxin (done at 2-3 weeks old ) and will do p part as separate dose later in year

 

[cotswoldcs]

Never had this happen here thanksfully, and likewise have done thousands of sheep. I hope MSD help you out - they make enough money out of us!

 

[Onwards and Upwards]

Never had this happen here thanksfully, and likewise have done thousands of sheep. I hope MSD help you out - they make enough money out of us!

The really surprising thing was that it was just so quick.

 

[Nithsdale]

yes had small issues with it , a decade ago, 8 week old lambs odd one or two , droopy ears , blew and died annoyingly some of the better singles , moved to ovivac no more issues , now moved again to bravoxin (done at 2-3 weeks old ) and will do p part as separate dose later in year

But not instantly after injecting?

I suspect stress related due to being worked with, rather than the Hep P

 

[Onwards and Upwards]

But not instantly after injecting?

I suspect stress related due to being worked with, rather than the Hep P

But why just 2 in the middle of a run of 400 and only when using a certain batch?

 

[Nithsdale]

But why just 2 in the middle of a run of 400 and only when using a certain batch?

Why does a ewe drop dead on a clipping board...


2 is just bloody unlucky, but it can happen.
The rest you did with that bottle didn't die.

 

[andybk]

But not instantly after injecting?

I suspect stress related due to being worked with, rather than the Hep P

within 20mins , maybe stress but never had it with ovivac or bravoxin treated the same , they did offer a PM , but friday nights etc , just getting a bit tired of ovivac/ hepta and catchy cover over cost

 

[Nithsdale]

within 20mins , maybe stress but never had it with ovivac or bravoxin treated the same , they did offer a PM , but friday nights etc , just getting a bit tired of ovivac/ hepta and catchy cover over cost

20mins is time for the product to be absorbed into the animals system and be taken around the body and a reaction to develope.. The body hasn't got enough time to absorb to cause seizures or death instantly in a sub cut injection - unless it was into a vein accidentally and carried straight to the heart in the blood. That then would be administrator error


It's just IMO, of course. But I would be very surprised if the Hep P was the cause.


Regardless, it's a sh*tter of a day when 1 drops dead. I feel for the OP. having 2 do it and can understand (rightly) looking for an answer

 

[Onwards and Upwards]

Why does a ewe drop dead on a clipping board...


2 is just bloody unlucky, but it can happen.
The rest you did with that bottle didn't die.

I stopped using that bottle. It started as soon as I started the bottle and stopped when I switched.

 

[Nithsdale]

I stopped using that bottle. It started as soon as I started the bottle and stopped when I switched.

And the other 8 you did with that bottle?

If that bottle of Hep P is that fatal, you'd have lost the lot!

 

[yellowbelly]

Just had a look at the leaflet. ..........

.......................under Adverse Reactions, it says, "Occasionally hypersensitivity reactions may occur. In the event of an anaphylactic reaction appropriate treatment should be administered without delay."

Rather unhelpfully, it doesn't say what the appropriate treatment would be.

 

[Yale]

Suppose it could be a certain chemistry which when the planets align from a sensitivity point of view it just makes it happen.

Maybe with half an hour and something like a bit of oxidisation the same bottle would give a different response.

I‘m sure the manufacturer could explain the process.

 

[west coast angus]

i did a 100 twinn lambs this year, and the next day chased the ewes back to the hill and there was 7 dead lambs, all ways get some die after jagging but never as many as that! finding hep-p is really hitting the hill lambs hard, they take a real check with it.

 

[CopperBeech]

I’ve had it happen. Always put it down to something underlying

 

[exmoor dave]

Being a sensible and efficient shepherd I used the only dry day for the foreseeable to heptavac my ewe lambs. Did the first 250. No issues. Changed bottles. 2 out of the next 10 started fitting and subsequently died as soon as they were off the Clamp. Changed bottles. Notified MSD and awaiting a PM in the morning. Next 150 done. Not a bother. Anyone had any similar instances over the years. I’ve literally done 10s of 000s over the years and I’ve never seen or heard of it before.

What sort of clamp.... combi or powered?

 

[Longlowdog]

When tagging animals that are recorded for pedigrees I often find siblings end up in the race together or very close to one another. Sufficiently often for it not to be a fluke. Same with ewes and attendant lambs Perhaps the two lambs had the same genes to make them hyper sensitive? Just a thought.

 

[Estate fencing.]

When tagging animals that are recorded for pedigrees I often find siblings end up in the race together or very close to one another. Sufficiently often for it not to be a fluke. Same with ewes and attendant lambs Perhaps the two lambs had the same genes to make them hyper sensitive? Just a thought.

That's a very good point, some twins stay together there whole lives, I had 2 dead ewes that ear tags are next next to each other and I presumed they where twins.

 

[Woolless]

Just had a look at the leaflet. ..........

.......................under Adverse Reactions, it says, "Occasionally hypersensitivity reactions may occur. In the event of an anaphylactic reaction appropriate treatment should be administered without delay."

Rather unhelpfully, it doesn't say what the appropriate treatment would be.

Anaphylactic reactions in humans are treated with adrenaline, which a shepherd is unlikely to have in his medicine box. Next best I suppose would be a whacking dose of steroid, or failing that another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.

 

[puppet]

Nobody will have adrenaline unless given to themselves for a wasp sting. Steroid probably will be too slow to save them but again not something I would have handy