Equine Tetanus 

 
What is it? 

Tetanus, also known as “lockjaw,” is an extremely serious neurological disease. The

toxin produced by the bacteria affects the horse’s central nervous system. Horses are the
most susceptible animal to tetanus and the mortality rate is very high. It is an acute fatal
disease for more than 80% of afflicted horses.
 
What causes it? 

Tetanus is caused when a wound becomes infected with the

bacterial spores of Clostridium tetani. The bacteria is naturally
found in soil and more commonly horse manure. The disease is
transmitted to a horse when the bacterial spores come in
contact with an open wound – usually deep puncture wounds.
The persistent spores germinate under low oxygen conditions,
multiply, and produce a very powerful toxin, tetanospasmin,
into the bloodstream that affects the horse’s muscles. Some
cases of tetanus occur from wounds that are so small they are
not even noticed until the horse displays signs of being unwell.
 
What are the symptoms? 

The horse will progressively become more rigid in his or her movement and display
unnatural symptoms such as…

• stiff walk, raised tail, pricked ears

• inability to bend or flex neck Pricked
• loss of appetite ears
• difficulty swallowing
• inability to open mouth to eat and Raised
drink due to lockjaw Paralysis of tail
• protrusion and uncontrollable closing breathing
of the third eyelid muscles
• extreme sensitivity to stimuli - noise,
touch, and light
• distortion of facial muscles – facial
expression may seem “frozen”
Stiff legged
eyes wide, ears flat back, etc.
gait
• increased respiration and heart rate

It is manifested by the spasmodic contraction of the voluntary muscles. Painful and

frequent muscle spasms affecting small areas or even the horse’s entire body become
noticeable. The bacteria rapidly affects circulation and discharges the powerful toxin into
localized muscle groups or even worse, the horse’s entire body. As the disease progresses
the muscles become so rigid and stiff that the horse may fall and not be able to get up
again. Convulsions may occur and eventually death. Death is caused by paralysis of
breathing muscles when the contracting and expanding muscles in the lungs used to
breathe cease to function. The toxin advances rapidly so it is important to diagnose early
and treat properly.

How is it diagnosed? 

Diagnosis is usually based on clinical signs and a history of injury. The wound may not
be obvious or it may be healed before signs appear. It is important to know that tetanus is
a noncommunicable disease—it is not transmitted from one horse to another.

How is it treated? 

Treatment involves the use of tetanus antitoxin to neutralize unbound circulating toxin,
penicillin to prevent further growth of Clostridium tetani, muscle relaxants to relax rigid
muscles, and supportive therapy until the toxin is eliminated or destroyed. The horse may
need to be fed through a tube if the mouth and jaw have gone into spasm. Keep affected
horses in a quiet, stress free, darkened stall. Treatment is difficult, time consuming,
expensive, and often unsuccessful so it is important to take measures to prevent tetanus.

How is it prevented? 

Vaccination with tetanus toxoid is the only

way to provide safe, long term protection
against tetanus. Tetanus vaccine alone
provides long-lasting protection but
immunity takes up to two weeks to develop,
and an injured horse may develop tetanus
before protection is achieved. For this
reason, both tetanus toxoid and tetanus
antitoxin should be administered
simultaneously on different sides of the neck
for optimal immediate and long-term
protection.

When should the vaccine be administered? 

Vaccinations can be given to any animal over three months of age and should always be
administered by a veterinarian.

Vaccination timetable is as follows:

 Primary dose by injection into the neck muscle of the horse
 Secondary dose by injection 28 days later again by injection into the horse’s neck
 Follow up or Booster injection to be administered no more than one year (365
days) after the secondary dose.
  Boosters after this are recommended every five years.

This timetable is only a guide and one should take their veterinarians advice on the
frequency of booster vaccinations based on the manufacturers’ recommendation he or she
chooses. However, if the timetable or veterinarian’s recommendation for vaccinations is
not followed correctly, then your horse will no receive effective immunization and be at
risk of contracting the disease.

How is the vaccine administered and does the vaccine cause a 
reaction? 

The vaccine is administered

intramuscularly. The convenient site for the
injection is the center of the side of the
neck. Like a number of other vaccines, it
can cause a local swelling at the site of
injection. Provided the injection has been
carried out aseptically, any swelling should
resolve spontaneously.
 
What does the vaccination cost? 

The cost of vaccination against equine tetanus may vary slightly from one veterinary
practice to another. You may be able to split the cost of call out between you and the rest
of your barn or alternatively some veterinarians permit you to transport your horse to the
practice so that you do not have to pay a call out charge at all. Widespread vaccination
has dramatically reduced the number of cases of the disease but every horse owner must
be proactive.

What do you give an unvaccinated horse with a wound? 

If an unvaccinated horse is injured, tetanus antitoxin should be administered to provide

immediate (protection in 2-3 hours) but short-term (3 week) protection. Horses given
tetanus antitoxin can develop tetanus once the levels of antitoxin have dropped below the
protective level so another dose should be prepared. It is extremely risky if owners are
relying on the use of tetanus antitoxin given to horses, after a wound, to protect them
against tetanus, as some cases of tetanus occur from wounds, which are so small they are
not noticed.

Should a horse that has survived the disease or a newly purchases 
horse get vaccinated? 

A horse that has survived the disease is not automatically immune to the disease and
therefore should still be vaccinated as part of their annual health care check up. If you
have recently purchases a horse and unsure whether the animal has been vaccinated
previously, speak to your veterinarian about starting a course of vaccinations in order to
immunize your horse successfully.

Works Cited

Cherokee Animal Clinic. "Equine Tetanus." Cherokee Animal Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29
Mar. 2010. <http://www.cherokeeanimalclinic.com/equinetetanus.htm>.

College of Agricultural Sciences Penn State Extension. "Disease: Equine Tetanus." Penn
State Extension. N.p., 16 July 2008. Web. 29 Mar. 2010
<http://www.extension.org/pages/Disease:_Equine_Tetanus>.

Pfizer Veterinary Services. "Tetanus Information Page." Equivac. Pfizer Animal Health,
2005. Web. 29 Mar. 2010 <http://www.cyberhorse.net.au/csl/tetanus.htm>.

PracticalHorseKeeping.com. "Equine Tetanus." PracticalHorseKeeping.com. 2008.

Web. 29 Mar. 2010. <http://www.practicalhorsekeeping.com/
EquineTetanus.html>.