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Vaccination advice and programs
Vaccines are a vital part of proper equine management. Vaccinating your horse will help protect him/her from contracting various infectious diseases. However, vaccination does not guarantee 100% protection. It serves to minimize the risk of infection, but does not prevent disease in all circumstances.
Vaccination involves the administration of the causative organism, either in the muscle or under the skin, which is inactivated or modified to avoid causing actual disease in the horse. Two or more doses are needed initially to initiate an adequate immune response. After this initial series, the antibodies that your horse develops stand guard against invasion of specific diseases, over time, these antibodies gradually decline. Therefore, a booster is needed at regular intervals to maintain adequate protection. Some boosters are annual and some are more frequent depending on the vaccine and disease.
Tetanus is a disease that has an incubation period of between one and three weeks and is caused by bacteria entering the system through often unnoticed deep cuts and puncture wounds. The first signs of the disease include stiffness and reluctance to move. Tetanus can prove fatal and therefore vaccination is essential.
Equine Influenza is a contagious viral respiratory disease that debilitates the horse and leaves it susceptible to secondary infection. Symptoms include a clear discharge from the nostrils, along with a cough and a rise in temperature. The incubation period for equine influenza is only 1-5 days, with many horses remaining infectious for 3-6 days after the onset of clinical signs. Many equestrian organisations insist that horses hold current vaccination cards showing continuous cover and vaccination against influenza now mandatory for all horses using racecourse premises. These organisations are strict on the intervals between boosters which must not exceed 365 days; in addition the initial course of vaccine must fall within the recommended times.
Equine Herpes Virus is another viral respiratory disease that can cause loss form. Over 75 per cent of horses are carriers of the virus and symptoms include fever, nasal discharge and coughing which can last for up to three weeks. Some types of the herpes virus can cause abortion in pregnant mares and paralysis of in-contacts.
TETANUS.
Initial course of Vaccination.
• Foals from 3 months of age from vaccinated mares
2 injections 4-6 weeks apart.
Booster
• Intervals of 18-30 months
Foals' vaccination start times depend on their ability to respond to vaccination as well as their dam's vaccination history
FLU and TETANUS.
Initial course.
• Vaccinate foals from 4 months of age
2 injections with a 4-6 weeks interval for Flu & Tetanus.
5-7 months interval.
• Flu only.
Annual boosters.
• Not more than 365 day interval; giving Flu or Flu & Tetanus in alternate years.
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