ANTI-TOXINS AND TOXOIDS
Why You Must Know The Difference

Vaccines are toxoids. They are used to try to prevent disease. Toxoids are used to provide long-term protection against disease. Anti-toxins are used when a problem already exists.

The three most frequently-used injectable vaccines (toxoids) for goats are the overeating disease vaccine, the tetanus vaccine, and the pasteurella pneumonia vaccine. The vaccine for overeating disease combined with tetanus prevention is called "CD/T." These letters represent protection against overeating disease caused by clostridium perfringens Types C & D. The "T" part of the vaccine provides long-term protection against tetanus.

CD/T and pneumonia vaccines (toxoids) used with goats are given to all unvaccinated goats (adults and kids) twice -- 21 to 30 days apart. Booster vaccinations are then given annually to previously vaccinated goats, although I prefer boosting this protection twice a year. I booster pregnant does six weeks before kidding to provide immunological protection for the newborn kids via their dams' milk. Newborn kids are born without a functioning immune system. I use the combination CD/T toxoid vaccine rather than the two individual vaccines of C&D toxoid and tetanus toxoid. Tip: Assume that every goat you buy has not been vaccinated unless you have seen it done with your own eyes and vaccinate upon arrival at your property.

Anti-toxin vaccines are used in medical emergencies when immediate but short-term protection is required. I use two anti-toxin injectables: C&D Anti-Toxin and Tetanus Anti-Toxin. C&D Anti-Toxin should be used whenever overeating disease, ruminal acidosis, or any rumen-related toxicity is suspected to be the cause of the goat's illness. As with the vaccines (toxoids), the anti-toxins are used SQ (sub-cutaneously, i.e. under the skin). C&D Anti-Toxin is very safe to use and has a wide margin of error. It is one of the few medications which can be used without fear of hurting the animal. There is no such thing as a pneumonia anti-toxin. Vaccinate with a pneumonia toxoid regularly. When a goat develops pneumonia, prescription antibiotics are required.

Tetanus Anti-Toxin is used when castrating (wethering a goat), disbudding, injuries (bites, cuts, puncture wounds), and when tetanus-like symptoms are present (jaw is locked and mouth won't open, goat's neck is hard bent to the side and unable to be straightened, eyes unfocused, difficulty standing). Tetanus is commonly called Lockjaw. Some of these symptoms reflect other illnesses, so you must diagnose correctly.

Temporary protection provided by anti-toxins lasts about 7 to 14 days. If the goat survives the illness, you must wait at least five days after this two-week time frame and begin the two-vaccination toxoid series again, because the anti-toxin has cancelled the benefits of the vaccine.

Vaccines (toxoids) will sometimes cause a knot or abscess known as an injection-site granuloma. This is evidence that the goat's immune system is having a good response to the vaccine. These are "killed" vaccines so the organisms being vaccinated against are not active in these grandulomas. Injection-site granulomas usually don't go away on their own. I wait several weeks after vaccinating to be sure that a good reaction to the vaccine has occurred, then I lance, clean, and flush the granulomas with iodine.

Suzanne W. Gasparotto, Onion Creek Ranch, Texas 02/12/17

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