Handle Drugs and Vaccines with Care

By Barry Whitworth

Most producers are very familiar with giving either antibiotic to treat a disease or vaccine injections to their animals to prevent a disease. What producers may not be aware of is how important it is to handle vaccines and drugs properly. Any breakdowns in handling the vaccine or drug before giving it to the animal may compromise the efficacy of the product. The following is a quick review of proper handling and care of vaccines and drugs.

Producers should read the manufacturer’s label. The label contains information of proper storage, how to mix the product, how often to use the product, how much to give, where to give, withdrawal times and how to dispose of the portion of the product not used. Also, the expiration date should be observed. These products do lose their efficacy over time.

Vaccines and drugs need to be stored properly. The label will indicate at what temperature the product needs to be kept. For most biological products and some animal drugs, the product needs to be kept cool. The appropriate temperature is 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If the vaccine or drug freezes or gets too hot, the efficacy of the product will be compromised. If producers receive vaccines or drugs in the mail, they should never accept them if the cold pack is warm. Some studies have shown that not all refrigerators stay cold enough to protect vaccines. Producers need to be sure their refrigerator is working properly.

It is also important to protect the vaccines when they are actually being used. Sunlight or heat may inactivate the vaccine so they should be stored in a cool dark location such as an ice chest to prevent damage. Animal drugs that do not require refrigeration will need to be kept at room temperature. Room temperature is between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. If producers store these drugs in a barn or other outside location, they need to make sure that the temperature will not be too cold or hot.

When using modified live vaccines, never mix more vaccine than can be used in one hour. The vaccine will lose potency after sitting for a period of time. Also, producers should mix the contents of the vaccine gently. Excessive shaking of these vaccines may break the biological into particles, which may result in the vaccine being ineffective. Any vaccine that is left over should be discarded. It will not produce an immune response at a later time.

If syringes are not properly maintained, the vaccine or drug effectiveness may be compromised. Syringes should be cleaned with boiling distilled water. Never clean the inside of a syringe with a disinfectant. This will inactivate the vaccine.

Finally, never mix different animal drugs in the same syringe. Animal drugs may not be compatible. By mixing products together, the producer may inactivate one or more products, which makes them useless. Mixing drugs may also result in an animal having an adverse drug reaction. Combining drugs creates new products that have no research to indicate effectiveness or side effects. Mixing drugs is a creation of a new drug which is considered illegal by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Producers who are willing to spend the time, money and effort to vaccinate and treat their animals should be willing to take the time to ensure that vaccines and drugs are handled properly. More information is available about proper vaccine handling at the local county extension office or by reviewing Oklahoma State University fact sheet VTMD-9100.

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of Oklahoma Farm & Ranch.