re Heptavac, interested to read of possible problems with abortion, we have just had a ewe abort 2 lambs a week after being vaccinated, the lambs having been dead for several days when they were aborted, I wasn't aware of this problem, and we havn't seen any reactions in ewes before or abortions in our flock (have occassionally seen bad Heptavac reactions in lambs though ), so am now wondering if there is a link.
Everything has been sent off to the VLA so will see whether they come back with an infection as the cause, do you have any more info about this Hexhammeasure? We should probably contact Intervet if they come back with no infection, will ask our vet, although he generally doesn't seem keen to report isolated incidents in a flock. Was also wondering if this could be due to toxoplasmosis, we only have one 4yr old cat, however our neighbour collects waifs and strays and we sometimes see them in our barns, will hopefully know more next week, and hoping that this is an isolated incident. Otherwise the ewe has not looked off colour, been eating etc, just a bit quiet for a day following the abortion, she is now in isolation with a wether for company.
VSS - re heptavac P for lambs, you say you vaccinate at 12 weeks old is that because cover is provided by maternal antibodies? The directions say to vaccinate at 3 weeks old, but it was a small group of 3 week old lambs that we had react, and I am wondering how long it is safe to leave doing the lambs for if the ewes have been vaccinated a month prior to lambing?
thank you for any advice/help