Storm Debris in Pastures? Vaccinate for Tetanus

Tetanus is a very serious disease that kills up to 80% of horses it infects.
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Chances are, when you walk through your horse’s pasture after a storm passes through, you’ll come across some debris here and there. Some is easy to spot—tree limbs that have fallen or litter that’s blown in from outside. Other types of debris—nails from fallen fences or metal shards from run-in sheds, for example—might be more challenging to see, and it can also be more dangerous to your horse. That’s why it’s wise to ensure your horse is up to date on his tetanus vaccine, according the Dona Goede, livestock specialist for the University of Missouri Extension.

“The debris in pastures—blown in or washed in from the flooding—increases the chance of horses getting injured,” said Goede. “The tetanus spore is naturally in the soil. All it takes is an open wound on a horse to introduce tetanus into its bloodstream.”

Tetanus is a very serious disease that kills up to 80% of horses it infects.

Tetanus is caused by a naturally occurring bacterium called Clostridium tetani. The tetanus bacteria are ingested by horses and can be found in their gut and their manure. The spores themselves are not toxic to the animals

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