- Messages
- 5,175
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
an article pushing for routine equine vaccs
Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination
VICTOR FRANCO, an equine vet with Three Rivers Veterinary Group in Beccles, discusses the importance of routine vaccination in the health-care of your horse.
Vaccinations are important to protect your horse against life-threatening diseases, such as tetanus, and diseases that can severely affect its health and performance, such as equine influenza (flu) and Strangles.
Vaccination is the only proven method of protecting against these diseases. There is no specific cure for them and treatment may be not only unsuccessful but extremely expensive.
Tetanus
The organism which causes tetanus, Clostridium tetani, lives in soil and there are high levels in the East Anglian region. It enters tissues through wounds and horses are particularly susceptible. If a horse has not been immunised, it is essential to protect it against tetanus from even minor wounds or when it undergoes a surgical procedure.
Rapid short-term protection can be given by using tetanus antitoxin but this is only protective for up to two weeks. Often we administer tetanus antitoxin even in vaccinated horses that have contaminated wounds or wounds that are at risk of soil contamination to give added protection.
Clostridium tetani thrives without oxygen: it can enter a small puncture wound, such as a nail or thorn prick, which may well go unnoticed. The organism remains in the wound and produces a neurotoxin, which causes damage to the nervous system. One of the most commonly known symptoms is lockjaw; this is due the muscles of the jaw going into spasm. The disease is invariably fatal and once the symptoms have started, antibiotics and antitoxins have little effect. Only vaccination provides long-term protection against this disease.
Equine Influenza
The high percentage of regularly-vaccinated horses within the UK is believed to be a major contributor to the reduction in the numbers of large epidemics of influenza. Moreover, the incidence of clinical disease during an outbreak is markedly reduced when the equine population is protected by vaccination.
Influenza virus strains are constantly changing and the vaccine manufacturers are continually adapting their vaccines to meet the new challenges. However, even if a new strain does comes along, there is likely to be some cross-protection from the original vaccine and the disease will be milder in vaccinated horses.
Most competitions and shows require proof of flu vaccination and there are stipulated intervals between vaccinations. It is important to seek advice from your veterinary surgeon who will be familiar with these rules.
It is a sensible precaution to vaccinate before exposing your horse or pony to any situation where it will mix with large numbers of horses from different environments. The introduction of a new horse to your stables could also present a potential for exposure to infection.
Strangles
This is a common disease found in the UK caused by Streptococcus equi. It affects both horses and donkeys and is highly contagious.
Although the disease can be fatal, horses generally recover. But it can take months for the disease to run its course in an individual horse, while yards may be closed down and have ongoing problems for a year or so. The horses become sick, run a high temperature and develop abscesses around the head, which burst and produce large volumes of pus.
The disease thrives in situations where a number of horses are in contact, so it is best to vaccinate all the horses in a yard or livery stables. A large number of horses are symptomless carriers and may start shedding the organism when they are stressed. Therefore the introduction of a new horse to your stables could present a potential for exposure to infection. Your veterinary surgeon will be able to give you advice on vaccination and other control measures.
Vaccines for other diseases do exist - for example there is one for the herpes virus, which is especially important in breeding mares. Most vaccines require a primary course of vaccinations to prime the immune system, followed by regular boosters. Your vet will advise you on the best time and the frequency of booster vaccinations based on the manufacturers' recommendations for the vaccine he or she chooses to use.
Serious side effects following vaccinations are extremely rare. Although all veterinary vaccines undergo thorough, independent evaluation of their safety, efficiency and quality, occasional reactions may occur in individual cases. This may be an injection site reaction, allergic reaction or general malaise.
If your vet thinks your horse is one of the very few that has suffered a local or overall reaction to a vaccine, there is a system called the Suspected Adverse Reaction Surveillance Scheme, operated by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, where reports should be made. Horse owners themselves can also make reports direct. This scheme keeps an overall check on adverse reactions and the results are published (e.g. in 2002 only 16 horses in the UK were reported to have shown any apparent reaction to vaccination). It must be remembered that the very small risk of a vaccine side effect is greatly outweighed by the benefit of protection against serious disease.
Under EU and UK law all horse vaccines used in the UK must be licensed for use here and be prescribed by your horse's vet. Always avoid any temptation to by-pass this system by using foreign or otherwise illegal products.
:thumbsup:
Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination
VICTOR FRANCO, an equine vet with Three Rivers Veterinary Group in Beccles, discusses the importance of routine vaccination in the health-care of your horse.
Vaccinations are important to protect your horse against life-threatening diseases, such as tetanus, and diseases that can severely affect its health and performance, such as equine influenza (flu) and Strangles.
Vaccination is the only proven method of protecting against these diseases. There is no specific cure for them and treatment may be not only unsuccessful but extremely expensive.
Tetanus
The organism which causes tetanus, Clostridium tetani, lives in soil and there are high levels in the East Anglian region. It enters tissues through wounds and horses are particularly susceptible. If a horse has not been immunised, it is essential to protect it against tetanus from even minor wounds or when it undergoes a surgical procedure.
Rapid short-term protection can be given by using tetanus antitoxin but this is only protective for up to two weeks. Often we administer tetanus antitoxin even in vaccinated horses that have contaminated wounds or wounds that are at risk of soil contamination to give added protection.
Clostridium tetani thrives without oxygen: it can enter a small puncture wound, such as a nail or thorn prick, which may well go unnoticed. The organism remains in the wound and produces a neurotoxin, which causes damage to the nervous system. One of the most commonly known symptoms is lockjaw; this is due the muscles of the jaw going into spasm. The disease is invariably fatal and once the symptoms have started, antibiotics and antitoxins have little effect. Only vaccination provides long-term protection against this disease.
Equine Influenza
The high percentage of regularly-vaccinated horses within the UK is believed to be a major contributor to the reduction in the numbers of large epidemics of influenza. Moreover, the incidence of clinical disease during an outbreak is markedly reduced when the equine population is protected by vaccination.
Influenza virus strains are constantly changing and the vaccine manufacturers are continually adapting their vaccines to meet the new challenges. However, even if a new strain does comes along, there is likely to be some cross-protection from the original vaccine and the disease will be milder in vaccinated horses.
Most competitions and shows require proof of flu vaccination and there are stipulated intervals between vaccinations. It is important to seek advice from your veterinary surgeon who will be familiar with these rules.
It is a sensible precaution to vaccinate before exposing your horse or pony to any situation where it will mix with large numbers of horses from different environments. The introduction of a new horse to your stables could also present a potential for exposure to infection.
Strangles
This is a common disease found in the UK caused by Streptococcus equi. It affects both horses and donkeys and is highly contagious.
Although the disease can be fatal, horses generally recover. But it can take months for the disease to run its course in an individual horse, while yards may be closed down and have ongoing problems for a year or so. The horses become sick, run a high temperature and develop abscesses around the head, which burst and produce large volumes of pus.
The disease thrives in situations where a number of horses are in contact, so it is best to vaccinate all the horses in a yard or livery stables. A large number of horses are symptomless carriers and may start shedding the organism when they are stressed. Therefore the introduction of a new horse to your stables could present a potential for exposure to infection. Your veterinary surgeon will be able to give you advice on vaccination and other control measures.
Vaccines for other diseases do exist - for example there is one for the herpes virus, which is especially important in breeding mares. Most vaccines require a primary course of vaccinations to prime the immune system, followed by regular boosters. Your vet will advise you on the best time and the frequency of booster vaccinations based on the manufacturers' recommendations for the vaccine he or she chooses to use.
Serious side effects following vaccinations are extremely rare. Although all veterinary vaccines undergo thorough, independent evaluation of their safety, efficiency and quality, occasional reactions may occur in individual cases. This may be an injection site reaction, allergic reaction or general malaise.
If your vet thinks your horse is one of the very few that has suffered a local or overall reaction to a vaccine, there is a system called the Suspected Adverse Reaction Surveillance Scheme, operated by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, where reports should be made. Horse owners themselves can also make reports direct. This scheme keeps an overall check on adverse reactions and the results are published (e.g. in 2002 only 16 horses in the UK were reported to have shown any apparent reaction to vaccination). It must be remembered that the very small risk of a vaccine side effect is greatly outweighed by the benefit of protection against serious disease.
Under EU and UK law all horse vaccines used in the UK must be licensed for use here and be prescribed by your horse's vet. Always avoid any temptation to by-pass this system by using foreign or otherwise illegal products.
:thumbsup:
i do understand peoples misconception of this idea but having worked at the ilph have seen the devestating effects of diseases such as strangles i really do not think not vaccinating is worth it i also realise some horses fail to respond to these vaccines as do dogs and cats but the odds of that happening are very slim i do think a longer booster period inbetween could work after all we only have a tetanus every 10 years also the cost of the vaccines could be cheaper!