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Vaccination Fever !

Spring is blooming! And so is everyone’s excitement for the upcoming riding season. It may not seem the time to talk about a dry subject like vaccinations, but now is the time to get educated on the latest thinking in equine diseases to keep your equine riding partner healthy and primed.

With a growing frequency of some illnesses and the unnerving appearances of other

Cows

The cow, “vacca” in Latin, was used
in the early days of vaccine
experimentation, and thus the source
of the word vaccine

diseases in areas that until now saw no occurrences, such as West Nile disease, the old routines and old protocols are fast becoming outdated. The good news is that the process of a vaccine – deliberately infecting a well body with a tiny amount of a disease to stimulate and create a ‘memory’ in the immune system in hopes of keeping the individual from ever falling ill again from that disease – has been practiced since ancient times, and it remains a top health approach today.

For humans, the use of vaccinations has proven so successful that it has eradicated some diseases and rendered others almost harmless. But “almost” is the operative word when thinking about vaccines. Vaccines attempt to provide protection from bacterial and viral diseases, but they provide no guarantee of immunity. Failing that, they are used to limit the severity of the disease and its spread in the case of actual infection and illness. This latter use is particularly true for viral infections, and vaccines can be a very important tool in reducing the spread and duration of a viral outbreak in a barn. An equine disease that is not life-threatening can be business-threatening if it is of the highly contagious variety – a ’flu or strangles outbreak in a barn can stop lessons, showing, racing and sales in their tracks for weeks. Therefore, vaccines are usually highly effective and are a must for any horseowner.

Spring and fall are the traditional seasons for equine vaccinations. Boosters, however, are given throughout the year, and vaccines addressing mosquito-borne diseases are timed to be most effective at peak mosquito season.

The vaccines that most veterinarians would suggest:

Tetanus
Rabies
Equine Encephalomyelitis, East, West, Venezuelan
Influenza
Rhinopneumonitis

Vaccines to be considered, depending on geography and contact with other horses:

Additional Flu/Rhino
Additional EEE/WEE/VEE
West Nile virus
Potomac Horse Fever
Strangles
Botulism

Here's how & when to vaccinate:

· Tetanus – annual.
The source of "lockjaw." Tetanus is ubiquitous in soil and its spores can enter a body through a wound; fatal to majority of horses if contracted. This vaccination is often bundled with vaccines for equine encephalomyelitis,[“EWT”].

· Rabies – annual.
Virus transmits via contact with infected animal. Disease is fatal to horses and an infected horse can infect humans.

· Equine encephalomyelitis, EEE; WEE; VEE - annual.
Inoculate in spring. Disease can be fatal to horses. EEE, WEE and VEE are mosquito-borne diseases, more commonly found in warm climates, and not particularly prevalent in colder climates. Northern horses that travel to warm climates are usually vaccinated. Inoculate in spring or early summer in order to provide maximum immunity during peak of mosquito season (late summer and early fall). The vaccinations for these diseases are usually bundled with vaccine for tetanus [“EWT”].

· Influenza - one to four times annually.
Disease is common and contagious; disruptive if spreads; rarely fatal. This vaccination is often bundled with vaccine for rhinopneumonitis. The vaccination for this disease is usually bundled with vaccine for rhinopneumonitis [“flu/rhino”].

· Rhinopneumonitis - one to four times annually.
Term that covers two distinct viruses, EHV-1 and EHV-4. The neurologic form, EHV-1, has been prevalent on the East Coast this past fall and winter; can be fatal. Both forms are contagious; of particular concern to breeding operations because of the virus’s ability to cause abortions in in-foal mares. EHV-1 may require separate inoculation. The vaccination for this disease is usually bundled with vaccine for influenza [“flu/rhino”].

· West Nile virus - annual.
Inoculate in spring. Disease can be fatal to horses; mosquito-borne disease. Can re-inoculate in the fall, especially for horses that may ship to warm climates. Inoculate in spring or early summer in order to provide maximum immunity during peak of mosquito season (late summer and early fall).

· Potomac Horse Fever - annual.
Inoculate in spring.Disease can be fatal. First seen in the Potomac River area of Maryland, and tends to be found in areas rich in streams and other water bodies. Can re-inoculate in the fall for horses traveling to warm climates.

· Strangles - annual.
Disease is highly contagious; disruptive if spreads; rarely fatal. Affects primarily young horses. Can result in quarantining of stables.

· Botulism - annual.
Disease can be fatal to horses, as not all strains have a corresponding vaccine available.

When inoculating, remember:

ü that some diseases, such as rabies, are transmittable to humans. Check with your vet to determine the ability of any of the above diseases to spread from infected horse to human.

ü to maintain all horses in the stable or on property on the same vaccination schedule.

ü that a first-time inoculation may need a second, “booster” follow-upshot.Review this possibility with your vet, and schedule accordingly.

ü to vaccinate over a period of several weeks. Vaccines operate on the principle of stimulating the immune system. Therefore, in the days following any one inoculation, the immune system is taxed as it responds to the disease threat. The presence of more than one ‘mini-disease’ may be very demanding on a horse’s system and can result in founder or other conditions for horses that are already stressed or are frail.

ü that vaccines are usually given intra-nasally or by intramuscular injection. An intra-nasal vaccine usually should not be administered at the same time as an intramuscular – again, review this with your vet. Currently in the experimental stage as delivery methods are skin patches and oral doses.

ü that vaccines can take ten days to trigger the immune system.

ü to vaccinate for mosquito-borne diseases in the spring or early summer in order to provide maximum immunity for peak infection season.

ü to not vaccinate any animal that appears ill. Do not vaccinate an animal that has had its joints recently injected or any sort of surgery. Speak with your vet about the appropriate waiting period.

ü to think twice about inoculating in the face of an outbreak. The immune system will be compromised if subject to an inoculation, and this temporary weakening may provide an inroad for the outbreak disease.

ü that there is some current discussion about the efficacy of the various types of vaccines used. It can be a topic worth studying up on if your horse is exposed to many other horses, such as at shows or at well-attended trail rides.

ü that some states require annual vaccinations, such as rabies. Your veterinarian is well-versed in these requirements and will guide you. Many horse shows or public equestrian facilities also require proof of vaccination.

ü that vaccinations are one component in overall horse management. A horse that receives appropriate, tailored nutrition; is in a training and showing program in which it thrives; is provided adequate social, rest and relaxation time is the one most likely to shrug off an invading disease. Aim to meet these goals as well.

If you are concerned about over-vaccination …
… you are not alone. The frequency of re-vaccination (but not vaccination itself) has come under scrutiny recently. Some research on re-vaccination has been performed for the cat and dog populations, the conclusions of which suggest that annual re-vaccination is unnecessary. Little definitive research exists, however, on the duration of vaccines in horses.

A number of horseowners, guided by their own principles of horsecare or by the concern of potential side effects of over-treatment, are drawing titers instead of looking to the calendar as a way to determine the need to re-vaccinate. Many are finding that their horses’ antibodies are remaining robust well past the usual 12 months for such annual vaccines as rabies and are expanding the intervals between re-vaccination. On the other hand, it is well-known the effectiveness of the flu/rhino vaccine can decline within a few months, which is part of the reason for its frequent re-application.

Also contributing to this new caution is the bundling of vaccines, which means dosing the horse with multiple vaccines simultaneously. Many owners are concerned about the subsequent immune-system overload and are now seeking out these vaccines in a stand-alone format.

Keep in mind that using titer levels instead of the calendar as a guide to inoculations requires discipline on the part of the horseowner to monitor them regularly. Also, the well-being of the horse in the neighboring paddock or stall and that of the humans frequenting the stable are enormously important considerations when making your vaccination decisions. As it is, most boarding operations require certain vaccinations to be administered annually, so this may factor into your vaccination outlook.

A word about homeopathic approaches:
Nosodes, the homeopathic approach to vaccination, are often used in addition to traditional vaccines, in place of them, or in the face of an outbreak. Again, extensive research has not been performed on their efficacy, although it must be said that nosodes have continued to exist because of their apparent usefulness. As well, it is being proved that horses that are not subject to inoculations -- either none or only a few -- seem to have a strong resistance to disease.

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If you found this article interesting and informative, please let us know! Send us your comments via email at editors@TheEquestrianCorner.com.

Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for qualified veterinary advice and care. Consult your veterinarian on this and any equine health-care issue.

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