# Lump at vaccine site



## Horsefly (Jul 6, 2010)

I gave a CD-T shot to our baby goat a week or two ago and he has a large lump under his arm where I gave it to him at.  What is it?  It doesn't seem to bother him any and he isn't lame.  Just cosmetically I want it to go away.  Will he get another or bigger lump when I give him his booster?  I have never noticed anything like that on any of my other goats aside from a lump right after the shot that goes away in a few hours to a day.  I hope I didn't do something wrong that is perminate.


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## ksalvagno (Jul 6, 2010)

It is an abscess from the injection. It will eventually go away. It happens.


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## Roll farms (Jul 6, 2010)

Some shot lumps will burst, some will just go away, some won't.
(I've got a doe w/ a lump in her armpit she's had since I picked her up as a 2 wk old baby...she's 7 now.)

I've tried 928 different things to prevent shot lumps, and haven't yet found a 100% successful way.

I rub the injection site vigorously after giving the shot, but that doesn't always work.

A couple of years ago I switched to "Essential 3 +T" cdt vaccine b/c it can be given IM and you won't get a shot lump like you do w/ sub q shot.


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## Mea (Jul 6, 2010)

We've had years where no one gets a lump, and other years where Everyone gets them.   Talking with a fellow-breeder here, she said the same thing.  Seems as tho it was one particular manufacturer that most oftem gave problems.  ( can't remember which one it was...gggrrrr)


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## cmjust0 (Jul 7, 2010)

Was this a fresh, unopened vial of vaccine or had it been drawn from before and then stuck back in the fridge?


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 7, 2010)

That's why I like to give Sub-Q vaccines in the arm pit near the animal's chest, so you can't see it unless you look under the goat, and it doesn't get bothered when they walk since it's on the body side of the pit, not the leg side.


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## Calliopia (Jul 7, 2010)

I think some goats just have a predisposition to this as well. My girls you can stab w/ any medication any gauge, etc and they are fine. My buck, if you even look at him w/ a syringe in your hand and he gets a lump.  He is also however the biggest drama queen I have ever seen and you'd think I stuck him w/ an ice pick instead of a 1" needle.


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## Horsefly (Jul 8, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Was this a fresh, unopened vial of vaccine or had it been drawn from before and then stuck back in the fridge?


I had drawn from it before.
I guess I'll just have to wait for it to go away, when he gets his booster if the lump is still there should I stick him on the other side?


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## cmjust0 (Jul 8, 2010)

Horsefly said:
			
		

> cmjust0 said:
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Well...there's actually a thread somewhere else on here in which folks are discussing their various views on whether or not it's OK to re-use a previously-opened container of vaccine..

I say no...they say it's fine.

This also makes about the 3rd thread where someone's asked about shot lumps, and I've asked if it was a new vial or had been drawn from before, and the answer has been that it was drawn from and set back in the fridge.

I will point out that not one, but TWO of the pro-re-use-it crowd have posted here basically saying "It happens."



On the other hand, I can't say I've ever really had a vaccine lump that amounted to anything.  I've certainly never had one that burst -- that's just nuts.  I can't honestly ever remember a vaccination lump that was even noticeable to the eye..  A couple you could feel, sure, but I've seen the same thing out of oxytet, bo-se, pen, etc..

Is it a coincidence that I use fresh vaccine and don't get true vaccine abscesses?  Maybe...maybe not.

But as I said in that other thread, most all biological products state very plainly on the vial that you're to "use entire contents once opened"...which basically means pitch the rest if you don't need it and use a fresh vial next time.

Just sayin'.


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## ksalvagno (Jul 8, 2010)

Actually, the only time I get a lump is when I did a poor job of giving the vaccine. And it is never an actual abscess that bursts. It is only something that is felt, not seen. There are just some days that I suck at giving a shot or the animal moves right when I'm giving the injection. I always have to give injections by myself so I have to hold the animal and give the injection. It is rare that I get a lump but it does happen.


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## 4hmama (Jul 8, 2010)

It's a vaccination reaction...not necessarily an abscess...yet.  It isn't uncommon.  Dogs, cats, and many other animals get them when vaccinations are given, and it usually isn't a problem.  Give the booster on the other side.  Lots of vaccinations come in large vials and you use what you need and stick the rest in the fridge.  Just make sure you use a sterile syringe and needle for each injection.


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## jlbpooh (Jul 8, 2010)

When I gave my CD/T boosters about 2 months ago, we ended up with 3 of them getting large lumps. I didn't see any burst, but one has a scab on the end of the lump, so I am assuming it did. It was a new unopened vial and a new needle and syringe for each goat. The last time they got boosters there were no lumps. The only difference I saw was that the last time they got the goat version of it. This past time TSC was out of the goat version, so I had to get the one for Cattle/Sheep/Goats. I am going to plan ahead next year and make sure I can get the goat only version again and see what happens.


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