Paso Matchmaker Extraordinaire
02-07-2006, 08:28 PM
VACCINATION INDICATIONS
Written by: Robert Holland, DVM, Ph.D.
The following article is courtesy of myhorsematters.com
The world is getting smaller every day. People and horses travel across the
country and around the planet at rates never seen before. It has opened up huge
opportunities for competition, growth, and learning. Unfortunately, it has also
given us increased opportunities to be exposed to a growing number of diseases.
Never before has it been so important to connect with your veterinarian to focus
on preventive actions for the health of your horse. The number one way to do
this is through an effective vaccination program. It is so easy to forget those
annual vaccines, but they can and do keep horses healthier, and in some cases,
alive. Who wants to see their horses suffer with a disease?
So how do you begin to decide what vaccines to give? Get together with your
veterinarian. Your vet can help you assess the risk factors in your area, when
the best time to vaccinate would be, and what is right for your specific animals
on your farm, ranch, or stable. It is not as easy as it sounds; when I was on
the task force for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to
develop vaccination guidelines, one of our biggest issues was how to account for
variations in individual circumstances. For example, the ideal time of year to
vaccinate might change due to the geographic area. Using the AAEP guidelines as
a starting point, talk with your veterinarian about developing an individual
plan for your horses.
Vaccinations aren’t your only defense, however: Preventive management on your
farm is another important key. Quarantine any incoming horses away from the rest
of your herd for at least two weeks. This should cover any incubation period.
That way, if your new horse is sick, you don’t get all of the others sick as
well. Make sure to keep your water sources cleaned regularly, wash your hands
between horses, and always deal with a sick horse at the end of the day to avoid
spreading his disease. If a horse has a respiratory problem, ask your vet to
swab his nose to get a sample to test for what specific disease is affecting
your horse. That way, the appropriate antibiotic and treatments can be applied.
Discuss these and other measures with your veterinarian.
A starting point in developing a vaccination program for your horses is first to
determine the risk of infection for your animals with your local vet, who will
know the diseases and risk factors common to your area. Are your horses
farm-bound, or are they out at a new show every weekend? The process of shipping
stresses horses in and of itself. So, if shipped horses are also exposed to many
other animals that might be carrying disease, they might need a more aggressive
vaccination program to give them the best protection possible in these increased
risk circumstances.
How old are your horses? Young horses, like children, tend to pick up passing
diseases very easily, as they are still building up their immunity to many
diseases. And immunity to any disease isn’t instant, even with vaccine
administration. According to the AAEP guidelines, “Protection is not afforded to
the horse immediately after administration of a vaccine that is designed to
induce active immunity. In most instances, a series of multiple doses of
inactivated vaccine must be administered initially for the vaccine to induce
protective active immunity.”
The next question to ask is: What are the environmental risk factors? Do you
live in an area where there is a high risk of certain diseases? If so, you might
need to vaccinate more often for those diseases. For example, someone living in
Florida might want to vaccinate more often for West Nile virus because the
mosquitoes are active year-round. The type of weather can also impact your
vaccination decisions; for example, this year has been unusually wet through
many parts of the country. This could potentially increase the risk of your
horse getting a disease such as Potomac horse fever.
This article is provided by the American Association of Equine Practitioners for
educational and informational purposes only. Decisions regarding the health and
welfare of your horse should be made only after consultation with a veterinarian
with whom a valid client-patient-veterinarian relationship has been established.
UPCOMING SHOWS
Written by: Robert Holland, DVM, Ph.D.
The following article is courtesy of myhorsematters.com
The world is getting smaller every day. People and horses travel across the
country and around the planet at rates never seen before. It has opened up huge
opportunities for competition, growth, and learning. Unfortunately, it has also
given us increased opportunities to be exposed to a growing number of diseases.
Never before has it been so important to connect with your veterinarian to focus
on preventive actions for the health of your horse. The number one way to do
this is through an effective vaccination program. It is so easy to forget those
annual vaccines, but they can and do keep horses healthier, and in some cases,
alive. Who wants to see their horses suffer with a disease?
So how do you begin to decide what vaccines to give? Get together with your
veterinarian. Your vet can help you assess the risk factors in your area, when
the best time to vaccinate would be, and what is right for your specific animals
on your farm, ranch, or stable. It is not as easy as it sounds; when I was on
the task force for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to
develop vaccination guidelines, one of our biggest issues was how to account for
variations in individual circumstances. For example, the ideal time of year to
vaccinate might change due to the geographic area. Using the AAEP guidelines as
a starting point, talk with your veterinarian about developing an individual
plan for your horses.
Vaccinations aren’t your only defense, however: Preventive management on your
farm is another important key. Quarantine any incoming horses away from the rest
of your herd for at least two weeks. This should cover any incubation period.
That way, if your new horse is sick, you don’t get all of the others sick as
well. Make sure to keep your water sources cleaned regularly, wash your hands
between horses, and always deal with a sick horse at the end of the day to avoid
spreading his disease. If a horse has a respiratory problem, ask your vet to
swab his nose to get a sample to test for what specific disease is affecting
your horse. That way, the appropriate antibiotic and treatments can be applied.
Discuss these and other measures with your veterinarian.
A starting point in developing a vaccination program for your horses is first to
determine the risk of infection for your animals with your local vet, who will
know the diseases and risk factors common to your area. Are your horses
farm-bound, or are they out at a new show every weekend? The process of shipping
stresses horses in and of itself. So, if shipped horses are also exposed to many
other animals that might be carrying disease, they might need a more aggressive
vaccination program to give them the best protection possible in these increased
risk circumstances.
How old are your horses? Young horses, like children, tend to pick up passing
diseases very easily, as they are still building up their immunity to many
diseases. And immunity to any disease isn’t instant, even with vaccine
administration. According to the AAEP guidelines, “Protection is not afforded to
the horse immediately after administration of a vaccine that is designed to
induce active immunity. In most instances, a series of multiple doses of
inactivated vaccine must be administered initially for the vaccine to induce
protective active immunity.”
The next question to ask is: What are the environmental risk factors? Do you
live in an area where there is a high risk of certain diseases? If so, you might
need to vaccinate more often for those diseases. For example, someone living in
Florida might want to vaccinate more often for West Nile virus because the
mosquitoes are active year-round. The type of weather can also impact your
vaccination decisions; for example, this year has been unusually wet through
many parts of the country. This could potentially increase the risk of your
horse getting a disease such as Potomac horse fever.
This article is provided by the American Association of Equine Practitioners for
educational and informational purposes only. Decisions regarding the health and
welfare of your horse should be made only after consultation with a veterinarian
with whom a valid client-patient-veterinarian relationship has been established.
UPCOMING SHOWS