VACCINATION GUIDELINES:
These are vaccination guidelines- each individual situation required evaluation based on the following criteria:
- risk of the disease- geographical, anticipated exposure, age, breed, use
- consequences of the disease
- anticipated effectiveness of the vaccine
- potential for adverse reactions or history of adverse reaction.
Your veterinarian will help develop a program specifically tailored to your horse’s needs.
Clients should understand that:
- Vaccination alone does not prevent diseases- good management practices are essential.
- Vaccinations minimize the risk of infection or the severity of the infection but cannot prevent disease in all circumstances
- The primary series of vaccine and boosters should be administered prior to exposure- vaccines are not effective immediately after administration, your horse needs to build an immune response.
- Although rare, there is potential for adverse reaction to vaccines, the nature and severity of the reaction varies from one horse to another and one vaccine to another.
Vaccine recommendations:
|
DISEASE
|
ROUTE
|
FREQUENCY
|
COMMENTS
|
|
Eastern encephalitis/Western Encephalitis/ Tetanus
|
IM
|
Every 6 months
|
|
|
West Nile Virus Vaccine
|
IM
|
Every 6 months
|
|
|
Rabies
|
IM
|
Yearly
|
Must be administered by a veterinarian
|
|
Rhinopneumonitis (Herpesvirus)
|
IM
|
Every 3 months or 6 months
|
Frequency depends on exposure
|
|
Influenza
|
IN
|
Every 6 months
|
|
|
Strangles (Strep Equi)
|
IN
|
Yearly
|
Decision to vaccinate based on risk factors- not given at the same time as other injections
|
|
Potomac Horse Fever
|
IM
|
Yearly
|
Decision to vaccinate based on geographical exposure
|
|
Pneumabort (pregnant mare rhino)
|
IM
|
5th, 7th,9th months of gestation
|
Pregnant mares only
|
|