marek's symptoms and vaccination questions

[Bens-Hens]

Interesting.

Would really appreciate the info if you don't mind the time to dig it out. The learned people at the vaccine companies and hatcheries here were extremely specific (and all aligned) to the one hours and Day 1 administration practice. I did however have one vet say it could be done up to a week old, but the dose had to be doubled. There was too much conflicting information to support that so we stuck to the instructions from the producer.

It took much effort to find a supplier here that could provide doses for back yard chicken keepers. I eventually found an avian vet on the East coast of Oz that would provide a divided 1000 dose kit. 8x 125 doses. Crazy, considering we had to buy 1000 hits for 12 chicks lol We sold off 4 of the kits to local breeders, kept the last for ourselves. One producer of the vaccine would sell a 500 dose, but the cryo shipping just made it too expensive.

Wish we had it as straight forward to get done in the US. It was really upsetting to know there was a disease out there, yet it was so hard to prevent it if you didn't buy live stock from a hatchery.

 

[kreatura5]

This is the bottle.

 

[kreatura5]

Thanks again for all the input. Im so curious about this disease. I am in my first year of a veterinary program and my professors even give mixed advise.

 

[Haunted55]

Interesting.

Would really appreciate the info if you don't mind the time to dig it out. The learned people at the vaccine companies and hatcheries here were extremely specific (and all aligned) to the one hours and Day 1 administration practice. I did however have one vet say it could be done up to a week old, but the dose had to be doubled. There was too much conflicting information to support that so we stuck to the instructions from the producer.

It took much effort to find a supplier here that could provide doses for back yard chicken keepers. I eventually found an avian vet on the East coast of Oz that would provide a divided 1000 dose kit. 8x 125 doses. Crazy, considering we had to buy 1000 hits for 12 chicks lol We sold off 4 of the kits to local breeders, kept the last for ourselves. One producer of the vaccine would sell a 500 dose, but the cryo shipping just made it too expensive.

Wish we had it as straight forward to get done in the US. It was really upsetting to know there was a disease out there, yet it was so hard to prevent it if you didn't buy live stock from a hatchery.

I'm telling you...Seminolewind put it perfectly. It's like fighting a ghost. I had to buy a larger than needed dosing kit as well and the worst and most stupid thing about it was when I went to do it, I mixed it and injected the air into the bottle and was just going to draw my first dose and the cap on the bottle blew off and all the vaccine and diluent was in my eyes, mouth nose, yeah I got it good. Live virus in the face, yep, I was a happy camper let me tell ya, lol. We can't get turkey or chicken Marek's, I can attest to that first hand, but we can get an extremely painful eye infection from the diluent. No clue why this happened, this wasn't my first time giving shots or getting them ready, just crappy luck. I'm going to look for the stuff now and post as I find.

 

[Haunted55]

This is the bottle.

Same stuff I had...watch the lid.

Thanks again for all the input. Im so curious about this disease. I am in my first year of a veterinary program and my professors even give mixed advise.

If you are in a vet program and you're on here as well....in my opinion? You are going to end up one smart cookie! The reason I say this...what you are going to get from the books is the 'accepted' practise. You'll see that here as well, but you'll also see the unbelievable according to the textbooks. Funny thing is, the unbelievable works as well and in some cases better than the drugs. Don't get me wrong, I am the first to run for an antibiotic if I think it needed. I also will go for vitamins and the old remedies as well. Get your learning any place you can get it and figure out why the old folk remedies work and you'll be way ahead of the curve in the end. Your professors may not like it, but doesn't make these things any less true. Keep your ears and mind open and you'll go far.

 

[Haunted55]

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/jul01/marek0701.htm?pf=1
http://www2.dupont.com/DAHS_EMEA/en_GB/news_events/article20080828.html
This is interesting info, but not the one I was looking for just thought I'd share.

 

[Haunted55]

Another interesting but really kind of scary as well.
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2011/412829/

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks mate, about to head to work, but will come back for a read tonight. We still have four unvaccinated pullets and vaccine. If there is a way then I would like to get them dosed.

Shame about the eye! I nearly dropped my dilutant, but lucky that was as bad as it got.

 

[kreatura5]

Thanks haunted! i hope so, also ill heed the bottle top. Ben hen- are u waiting because u are unsure of what to do? I can send / post the conflicting points of research if u want.

 

[Bens-Hens]

No not waiting. We already vaccinated our chicks on day 1. Have not vaccinated four of them as we did not have the vaccine when they were a day old (had a couple of hatches)

Only just got back to reading the link Haunted posted. In my knowledge (without reading those links just yet) vaccinating after the first 24 hours is pointless and possibly harmful to the birds immune system. Saying that, I am always open to new information and am about to kick back and have a read.

A little later, I will see if I can dig out the info that persuaded me not to vaccinate for MD on a mature bird. Kinda pointless to spruke it without supporting information.