mixing and syringes
What are the steps for mixing a vaccine
Place the transfer needle into the sterile diluent bottle first
Invert the diluent bottle and stick the other end of the needle into the vial with the desiccated vaccine cake
Make sure all of the diluent has transferred to the vaccine vial
Gently mix the vaccine vial until all of the cake is dissolved
Why do vaccines fail
Insufficient time to develop immunity
Was stored or handled properly
is it expired?
was a soap/disinfectant/ other chemical used in the syringe
Immunosuppression - stress, malnutrition, concurrent infection
Overwhelming pathogen challenge dose
Antigenic differences between vaccine and field strain
What is colostrum
First milk produced
Contains maternal antibodies
Energy -> carbohydrates
Energy -> fats
Vitamins and some minerals
Maternal leukocytes
Other immune factors
What are oral antibody products for calves? pros? cons?
Antibody products given at birth to protect against pathogens that cause diarrhea
Pros - provides antibodies against those pathogens
Cons - speeds gut closure, unnecessary if calves are receiving good and adequate amounts of colostrum, expensive
How are antibiotics different
Each antibiotic targets a different spectrum of bacteria
Some penetrate into certain body tissues better than others
they will persist in the body for different lengths of time
How do you administer a vaccine
Always use a clean syringe
Make sure animals are properly restrained - minimize needle injuries
Always give injectable vaccines in the neck - vaccine triangle
Choose appropriate needle
Change needle every 10 animals - change needles immediately if bent burred or contaminated
What are antitoxins and antiserums
What do we do when we need antibodies right away - antibodies take time to be made after vaccination
Administer antibodies -> antitoxins and antiserums
Antitoxins - antibodies against a toxin extracted from the serum of another animal, often from hyperimmunized horses
Antiserum - Serum containing antibodies to a pathogen, monoclonal (just one antibody), polyclonal (multiple types of antibodies)
What does colostrum do?
Provides an antibody patch
the antibodies from the mother will persist in the calf for several weeks to months
this allows the calf time to develop its immune system
What is pharmacology
The study of how drugs work
Includes - how drugs work at the site of action, how drugs enter and are removed from the body, how drugs interact with each other, problems associated with drug use
How do you choose an antimicrobial
Different ones are needed for different bacteria
Read the label
Ask your vet
What are the do's and do nots of cleaning reusable syringes
Do not - use vaccine syringes for antimicrobials or dewormers, or clean with soap
Do - clean with water after every use, sterilize syringes with boiling water, store syringes in a clean cool dry location, designate syringes for specific vaccine types, inspect syringes periodically to make sure gaskets are ok and syringe is dosing appropriately
When do you use antitoxins and antiserums
These can be administered in an emergency to get you through a few days until the body starts to create its own antibodies
Do not provide long term immunity - 7-21 days
Prevention does - give before animal has disease at a lower dose
Treatment dose - given after the animal has disease, dose can be very high, may be hard to give enough, tetanus in a steer (may need 30 bottles to treat)
How do you get antibodies into an animal
Adult - antibodies are proteins and would be digested if given orally
In newborns - Have a window of about 6-12 hours after birth where they can best absorb oral antibodies, will continue to decrease until 24 hours, stomach has low acidity, protein digesting enzymes aren't active yet
Gut closure - when the calf can no longer absorb antibodies across the gut wall
Giving anything orally to a newborn calf will speed gut closure
what types of drugs are used in animal agriculture
Antimicrobials - antibiotics
anti-inflammatories/pain meds
Steroids
antiparasiticides
Antifungals
What if a disease i need to treat isnt on the label
Ask your vet - they will be able to prescribe extra-label use, they will know best drug, they will know any legal restrictions, they will know withdrawal time
How do you choose a syringe
Multi dose syringes are appropriate for vaccinating larger groups of animals
single use syringes are best for doing few animals - need to pull an individual dose each time
Allflex multidose syringes - easier to clean, easier to maintain, easier to select dose -> easier to feel/hear, no glass to break, some UV protection in barrel, can get different coloured knobs for the end to designate syringes
What is the immune status of a neonate
All essential immune components are present at birth, but many are not fully functional
New born animals have an immune system that - has decreased native defense mechanisms, has naive immune cells, decreased lymphocyte responsiveness, no antibodies
How do you get the colostrum into the calf
For beef calves, check to make sure calves have nursed = check every calf before it is 6 hours old, stomach tube any weak calves or calves that look like they haven't nursed
For dairy calves - feed every calf before it is 6 hours old, 4L within one hour of birth for big calves
What are antimicrobials used for in animal ag
Treating disease
Preventing disease
increases production
What will all drug labels contain
Product name
Active ingredient
Drug identification number
Product description
Indications for use
dosage and administration
Warning and withdrawal times
cautions
storage conditions
What should be in a vaccine kit
Needles
Extra syringes
Pliers -> changing bent needles
Epinephrine - for vaccine reactions, ask your vet
Dexamethasone - for vaccine reactions, ask your vet
Cooler for vaccine
Cooler for syringes - you can make your own
Ice packs or warm water bottles -> depends on outside temps
How does the newborn acquire antibodies
In humans -> antibodies cross the placenta to the fetus
In domestic animals, antibodies cannot cross the placenta - antibodies are instead transferred in first milk -> colostrum
How do you know if your calves are getting enough antibodies?
You can monitor serum total protein from calves
Your vet can help you with this
Measure serum total protein at 24-48 hours after birth
Serum total protein is highly correlated to IgG
Goal - 90% of calves should be equal or greater than 5.2 g/dL
What are the issues with antimicrobials use in animal ag
They can be a band-aid for poor management, concerns about resistance, concerns from the public
How do you administer an antimicrobial
Give it in the neck unless stated otherwise
Give no more than 10mL per site