West Nile Vaccine- Adverse Reaction Horse Owner Speaks Out

Before I speak, let me preface this article to make it clearly understood,
this information is not a blame or vendetta towards anything or anyone. It
also needs to be unmistakably understood that I am not for or against
vaccinating horses.
My sole intent and/or purpose is to educate and inform the horse owner
regarding concerns of their horse(s) health in an effort to assist and/or
prevent the tragic misfortune that happened to our gelding, Dartanian. He
was one of the principal characters in the book, "The Spiritual Life of
> Horses." His love, integrity, courage, loyalty and quite often humor, will
> live on in our hearts through his inspiration and valor.
>
> In mid August we were suggested to vaccinate against West Nile Virus, I
> simply was not well-educated on the vaccine nor the virus or knew the
right
> questions to ask at the time. With the first shot, three of our horses
> reacted. Our pregnant mare, our gelding and Dr. Donald Warren's stallion,
a
> boarder, all had the same re-action, their front legs swelled. Within 2
> days, our gelding Dartanian foundered, shortly there after he died!
>
> These are adverse reactions to a vaccine. The reactions our horses
> experienced are not soley limited to what we saw. Other adverse reactions
> stated by Fort Dodge's safety study are: systemic reactions, colic,
> diarrhea, fever, swellings.
>
> The West Nile Vaccine is new. According to Dr. Charles L. McDaniel from
> USDA, "this is what is called a conditional vaccine. New vaccines such as
> this, are granted a one year "conditional" trial period. If safety and
> efficacy are established, a renewal license for a second year may be
> granted." The West Nile Vaccine license has been renewed for another year.
> He also stated "when a new vaccine is released it is sold and provided
only through veterinarians for one reason, because the manufacturer needs to
> monitor the field response." (**more information from Dr. Charles McDaniel
> regarding conditional licensing)
>
> If any reaction occurs then it is the responsibility of the practicing
> veterinarian to record it and report it to the manufacturer immediately in
> case there is a problem with that serial batch of vaccine.
>
> In the case of the West Nile Vaccine, the manufacturer is Fort Dodge. I
> spoke with Dr. Tuttle at Fort Dodge regarding our situation and also
> explained what I was dealing with afterward. Dr. Tuttle, listened intently
> to what I described, documented my report and said to me, "Lynette, please
> accept my greatest apologies for what you have gone through, I am a
> practicing veterinarian, this information is not falling on deaf ears, I
> will investigate this immediately."
>
> He also stated, "we urge and encourage people to contact us immediately
and
> report adverse reactions to our vaccines. We subsequently report it to the
> USDA and investigate the serial numbers of the batches that were being
used
> to see if the batch has been contaminated. If people don't report problems
> then we don't know."
>
> Dr. Tuttle also stated to me, " if there is the slightest indication that
> the vaccine caused a problem then it needs to be reported to us without
> delay so that we can investigate and research that batch."
>
> If your horse(s) have had a reaction to this vaccine, Dr. Charlie
McDaniel,
> USDA and Dr. Tuttle from Fort Dodge are asking you to contact them and
> report it. The following is their contact information:
>
> Dr. Charlie McDaniel, USDA,
> Email: charles.1.mcdaniel@aphis.usda.gov
> Tel# 1-515-232-5785 ext. 146
>
> Also www.usp.org/vprp.htm this is a website where you document what
> happened. Once the information is received it is therefore reported to the
> manufacturer. The manufacturer then investigates and researches the
problem.
> If a bad batch of vaccine has made it's way to the public it is then
> recalled. This is my understanding of recourse from both Dr. McDaniel and
> Dr. Tuttle.
>
> Dr. Tuttle, Fort Dodge,
> Email: info@equinewestnile.com Attn: West Nile Product Manager
> Tel# 1-800-533-8536
> Mailing address:
>
>
> Received this on a board I moderate. What do you THINK??
> Ingrid
> www.antibioticfailure.com/ingridkhan
>
>
 Dr. Tuttle, Fort Dodge,
> Email: info@equinewestnile.com Attn: West Nile Product Manager
> Tel# 1-800-533-8536
> Mailing address:
> Fort Dodge Animal Health
> West Nile Vaccine Product Manager
> P.O.Box 25945
> Overland Park, KS 66225-5945
>
> In the future make sure when your horse(s) are being administered a
vaccine
> that you get the serial number and/or the batch number from your
> veterinarian and that it is logged on your horse(s) record in case you
need
> immediate recourse.
>
> Also, under no circumstances administer a vaccine to any horse whom is
under
> any stress or has an impaired immune system, colic, laminitis, etc..
> I believe Fort Dodge's intent was not to create fear and chaos within the
> horse world nor price gouge the horse owner with something new to make a
> profit at the horse owner and horse's expense. I also believe their intent
> was to help alleviate a potential problem. In doing so they need your
> assistance, the horse owner, to provide them with any adverse reaction(s)
to
> their product so they can correct it and make the difference they
initially
> set out to do.
> For those of you concerned and would like to use alternative medicines too
> assist in healing and warding off potential problems. The following
> information is provided:
>
> At a recent workshop in New Orleans this past August with Kerry Bone, BSc
> Dip Phyto, Australia's leading herbalist, the topic of West Nile Virus
came
> up. Mr. Bone stated that Australia has a similar virus, originating in
birds
> and transmitted by mosquitoes. The protocol that he has found most
effective
> in combating this virus is using Medi Herb St. John's Wort and Medi Herb
> Echinacea Premium.
>
> To quote from a 1995 issue of the Modern Phytotherapist on St. John's
Wort:
> "St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been proposed as an antiviral
> agent against enveloped viruses. It has been suggested that preparations
> standardized to a high level of total hypericin are necessary for
> significant antiviral activity." The West Nile Virus is an enveloped
virus.
>
> In September of this year, at the National Conference on Nutritional and
> Herbal Applications in Wisconsin, my husband had an occasion to speak with
> Dr. Martens from South Dakota. She shared her results of treating horses
> with full blown reactions to the West Nile Virus having complete recovery.
> Although from opposite ends of the world, working independently, the same
> conclusions were made. Both used Medi Herb St. John's Wort in their
protocol
> and both worked to boost the immune system.
>
> To locate a doctor in your area using Medi Herb and Standard Process
> products, please call 1-501-745-6696, or send a SASE to Therapeutic
> Nutritional Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1579, Clinton, AR 72031 and write
West
> Nile Virus Information.
>
> In closing, I would like to thank you, the reader, for your time and for
> listening. We wish you and yours the best of health and happiness. May you
> and your loved ones never be exposed to or experience what we did!
>
> And to Dartanian, the noblest of noble, the truest of knights, rest in
peace
> beloved friend.
>
> With much love and many, many blessings
>
> Lynette DesMarais
>
>
>