The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: moprabbit on December 20, 2019, 10:21:26 am

Title: Lump after heptavac injection
Post by: moprabbit on December 20, 2019, 10:21:26 am
One of my ewes had a lump after her heptavac jab. The lump burst on its own. Pus came out. I syringed it with salt water and now, its just about gone. Another of my ewes has a lump on the injection site,should I leave it to burst on its own or burst it? I  always use a clean needle and syringe for each sheep,  Thank you for any advice.
Title: Re: Lump after heptavac injection
Post by: twizzel on December 20, 2019, 12:48:06 pm
Sometimes the wool will transfer bacteria at the time of injection. I'd just leave it but if it bursts on its own accord give it a spray of blue spray.
Title: Re: Lump after heptavac injection
Post by: moprabbit on December 20, 2019, 04:38:07 pm
Thank you Twizzel and Red Dragon for your replies. They are reassuring. I'll just leave it.
Thank you.
Title: Re: Lump after heptavac injection
Post by: Jay2 on January 04, 2021, 12:27:27 pm
Leave it to burst on its own and then clean it up like the last one.  It's very common with both Lambivac and Heptavac.  The vet told me it's the carrier for the vaccine that is a massive irritant to tissue (hence S/c not IM).  It doesn't take much to nick the muscle if they move while you're injecting and it'll almost always then cause an abscess.  If you're using clean equipment then I wouldn't worry that it's your fault, much more likely it's the vaccine itself.  Some of them resolve without bursting (they swell then retract) others will go full on to a huge abscess.

I can second that! The adjuvant used in heptavac is vicious, I caught my thumb with the needle while struggling with a ewe and my thumb swelled up to twice its normal size for a few days.