Can Bar-Vac CD & T be kept 21-28 days after opening?

[patandchickens]

I asked my vet this back in April when I had him out to vaccinate the horses and show me how to do the sheep.

Since at the time I only had 2 sheep there was a bunch of the CDT left over and he said 'here, keep this, you can use it for their boosters'. We discussed the "use entire contents" thing and his take on it was that while it's *better* to do that, he did not see any problem with keeping it for up to 6 months as long as it was refrigerated and as long as no vaccination needles ever went into the vial. (I.e, using a dedicated needle to ddraw the vacc dose up into the syringe, then switching to another needle to actually inject it into the sheep)

He is not much of a sheep vet but does a LOT of horses and a fair number of cattle, so I would guess he probably knows more or less what he's talking about on this one.

Pat

 

[ksalvagno]

I have been using my CDT vaccines until they are gone for years. I have never had a problem. I use a new needle for every shot. I have never reused needles or even syringes. They are cheap enough that it was never worth the risk to me. I always end up using mine up before the expiration date.

 

[digger]

Thanks everyone. I wondered if it wasn't a CYA situation on the part of the manufacturer, but I was willing to consider that perhaps the vaccine would deteriorate with the introduction of air into the vial... BTW, I tried asking the manufacturer through their website contact portal, but they didn't respond. They'd probably take the standard CYA line and say discard it anyway. LOL. We used clean needles, refrigerated, and used care in handling it. We're going to save it and use it up with the second vaccination. Thanks again!

 

[cmjust0]

Bear in mind that medications like b-complex are specifically labeled as "multi-dose" vials and come in 250ml and 500ml vials, whereas vaccines generally have the "use entire contents" warning and are produced in very small amounts to encourage producers to do just that.

I mean, if it was simply a CYA situation, wouldn't everything would be produced in small vials and labeled with the "use entire contents" warning?

I think so...yet, that's not how it is.

Also strikes me as odd that it's only biological products -- categorically -- which are labeled this way.

Do what y'all want, but I figure if I'm going to take the time to actually give the shots, I'm not going to take a chance on the vaccine being ineffective just so I can save...what...maybe a dollar or two?

To me, it's just not worth it.

FWIW, I've done some studying up on this.. The longest period of time I've ever seen recommended to store an opened vial of killed vaccine in the fridge is 10 days -- and that's only if it contains a preservative like thimerosal.

Also, keep in mind that just because you stick something labeled 'VACCINE' in the animal and it doesn't immediately keel over dead from a contaminated batch, that doesn't mean it actually got an effective vaccination. They could very well not die, nor show adverse injection reactions, nor get an effective vaccination..

But, hey...whatever floats yer boats.

 

[lupinfarm]

Mine doesn't come in a small vial :/ and is labeled use by 11/2011


Mine comes in like a 300 dose vial. Then again, its actually NOT the goat one its the Cattle/Sheep one since I can't get the goat one.

 

[cmjust0]

Ya know what?...if I'm being super honest...if all I could get was a 300-dose vial of cattle vaccine and I only had a handful of goats, I probably wouldn't vaccinate at all.

 

[lupinfarm]

Yeahhh well I vaccinate anyway. Vet said go ahead and use the same vial, BUT use a seperate needle to suck up the juice (already do that) and make sure it is refrigerated (already do). The vet doesn't even use a new vial each time.

 

[digger]

I've been thinking a lot about what you said CMJUST0:

"Also, keep in mind that just because you stick something labeled 'VACCINE' in the animal and it doesn't immediately keel over dead from a contaminated batch, that doesn't mean it actually got an effective vaccination. They could very well not die, nor show adverse injection reactions, nor get an effective vaccination.."

That thought had occurred to me too--how do we know it's still effective-- but then after hearing of all the people who do use the vial up, I have to wonder--if so many people are doing this and aren't having any problems with their goats getting tetanus or enterotoxemia, then wouldn't you think either the vaccine would have to still be effective, or these diseases aren't the big problem we're led to believe? Or is everyone just that lucky...?

I checked my tetanus antitoxin, and it said the same thing. So you're right about the biologicals...

 

[Roll farms]

I've had a goat w/ tetanus on this place (bought her, 7 days later she had it, so she 'brought' it w/ her....) so it's definitely in the ground.

And it's a NASTY disease to see / deal with....I fear it. I vaccinate to prevent it b/c I have dealt w/ it, it's not just an abstract concept to me.

And, since they're goats, they get injured around here a lot, cuts, scrapes, etc...but none have caught it.

Therefore, I'm led to believe...what I'm using works just fine.

Here is Mbuzi as I found her, in full lock down....

Here she is 7 mos. later, fine as frog hair.

 

[digger]

Wow--thanks for sharing the pics. I'm glad to hear things worked out OK--she looks great. What did you do to treat? (I'm assuming tetanus antitoxin, but how much, how often, anything else?) It's always better to know what to do before you need to do it...Thanks!