Horse vaccines help prevent the contraction and spread of certain illnesses.
Vaccinations are an important part of every horse's health, but the type of vaccine, when it should be administered and how often varies depending on risk of infection, age, health history, exposure to other horses, climate and location. A veterinarian can help you determine which specific vaccines are appropriate and necessary for your horse. According to the Equine Medical Center in Chesapeake, Ohio, core vaccines that most every horse should receive include those that cover Eastern and Western encephalitis, tetanus, rhinopneumanitis, strangles, rabies, West Nile virus and influenza.
Encephalitis And Tetanus
Encephalitis can be transmitted from horse to horse, but is easily preventable with a vaccine.
Encephalitis, a serious and possibly fatal disease, is borne by mosquitoes and can be transmitted from horse to horse. Although several strains of the disease exist, Eastern and Western encephalitis are the two most commonly seen in the United States. Encephalitis vaccines are usually administered in spring and fall, except in northern regions of the U.S. where a spring vaccination is sufficient due to the short mosquito season.
Tetanus, a bacterial disease caused by an organism always present in a horse's environment, can be prevented with a vaccine given at least once a year. Both encephalitis vaccines and the tetanus vaccine are usually administered together as a "three-way" vaccine.
Rhinopheumanitis and Strangles
Rhinopheumanitis causes an upper respiratory infection, especially in young horses. The vaccine for rhinopheumanitis should be given at least twice a year and as frequently as every two months for high-risk horses such as pregnant mares and horses frequently in contact with many other horses.
An infection of the lymph nodes in the throat latch, strangles is a disease that causes a horse to be unable to breathe through its mouth, resulting in infection. Because strangles is very contagious, the intranasal vaccination should be administered twice yearly.
Rabies
Horses with rabies may display few, if any, symptoms of rabies.
Unlike other animals infected with rabies, horses may exhibit few symptoms such as foaming at the mouth and aggression. Horses that have contracted rabies might only demonstrate mild neurological signs and appear somewhat sick or sluggish. A once-yearly rabies vaccine is usually recommended.
West Nile Virus And Influenza
Influenza vaccines are administered intranasally.
Like Eastern and Western encephalitis, West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. The West Nile virus vaccine is administered twice a year during spring (April to May) and fall (September to October), the height of the mosquito season.
An upper respiratory tract infection that produces a dry cough, influenza in horses is very contagious, especially among young horses or large groups of horses. The highly effective influenza vaccine is given intranasally two times a year.
Tags: West Nile, Eastern Western, Eastern Western encephalitis, Nile virus, West Nile virus