WNV vaccine Good or Bad?

[Heidi]

http://lost-foals-group.4t.com/index.html

I'm sorry I visited the above site. :shock:
I have the vet coming out next week for shots for Q and now I'm concerned about the WNV vaccine.
What are everyone else's thoughts?

Q lives alone, nearest horse is probably over 3 miles away. We do have a pond nearby, not under my control, but there is some flow (regulated by beavers) in/out of the pond. Q may be going to training this year if I cannot get my health under control enough to be able to do it myself and if she goes, she will be with/near other horses.
Heidi

[Cindy]

They don't get West Nile from other horses so that would not affect whether or not to give her the vaccine. I didn't go to the site but the rumors of problems with the vaccine have been around for as long as the vaccine. None have been proven to my knowledge. All my horses are vaccinated for West Nile.

[Terri]

Depends how bad your misquito population is. A couple of years ago when West Nile 1st became a problem several horses died of it around here. Since the vaccine that hasn't happened as much and only to some who haven't bee vacinated. My guys have been vaccinationed for the past 4 years without incident. So like with any vaccine, you need to assess the risk. All vaccines come associated with risks and there is certainly a risk leaving your horse exposed to West Nile. My boarder chooses not to vaccine, so far her horse hasn't got West Nile.

[Abejita]

My thoughts about that site cant be printed in public. I guess it first came to light about 3 years ago? I believe many vets even came out with statements against the site saying there was no proff to back up the claims. I believe it even made magazines like Equus and The Horse.

If you read it close you will notice that many of the symptoms of the horses could point to many different diseases and problems.We know nothing about the other degree of care the horses got..There are many other reproductive problems and syndromes like MRLS that could have caused what is discussed.I have vaccinated for WNV since it was available.Old, Young, Pregnant..no problems. 4 healthy foals from four bred mares the first year we vaccinated pregnant mares.

You must remember that any horse/human can have a reaction to any drug/treatment. Things can happen.

[Minouri]

I vaccinate for WNV every year. And now that my land abuts wetlands I think it's definately necessary. We did have a WNV death near a place I boarded last year. I think that convinced all of my friends to start vaccinating also.

[Tami Pinell]

This is a fact..... a vaccine of any type is a cheap form of medical insurance. The vaccine is only given to "help prevent", there is never a guarentee that it will actually work or work right.... Unfortunately that is medicine in every aspect.
Think of this when you give vaccines.... it is cheaper to vaccinate and try to prevent than it is to try and save a horse that contracts the actual problem.... it may also be a nicer way for the horse to go.... take a look at the sites that show you pictures of horses that have contracted West Niles.... then make your choice.

[Beth Worden]

True: It is still an experimental vaccine.

Is it effective? Possibly.

I figure it this way, I have started this year with the WN vaccine on all and if my horses should contract WN then at least I will know I did everything I could for them.

[Mellifluous]

I give it to all of mine. Here is a good thought on the preggy mare scare with it - copied from an equine reproduction site.

Also a vets thoughts-
http://www.durangoequine.com/lfg.htm

Vaccination of pregnant mares with the West Nile Virus vaccine:

Vaccination of pregnant mares with the West Nile Virus vaccine:

It was brought to our attention several times during the past breeding season that there exists a site on the Internet ("The Lost Foals Group") which alleges a connection between the West Nile Virus vaccine and pregnancy problems. We at Equine-Reproduction.com believe it is extremely important that all viewers of that site are made aware that nowhere on that site is there a single shred of scientific evidence supporting the claims. We are personally acquainted with some of the researchers who evaluated the safety of the vaccine for use in pregnant mares, as well as some of the farms where the research was performed. Neither the researchers nor the farms found any evidence of a problem. We do however believe that one important thing should be brought to everyone's attention - inoculation with any vaccine during the first 45 days of pregnancy can result in pregnancy loss (in fact it is preferable for mares to be kept toxin free during the first 90 days of pregnancy), and yet we are repeatedly coming across incidences where mares have been inoculated with WNV vaccine during those first 45 days. Keep your mares toxin-free for the first 90 days of pregnancy! - do not vaccinate, deworm or expose your mare to any toxin-related situation during that time frame.

We consider the above-mentioned site so unworthy of promotion that we will not present the URL here. We do however encourage you to review the article discussing the site presented by Dr. Traci Hulse of Durango Equine Veterinary Clinic (available by "clicking" here), as well as some of our own personal observations which we placed in a thread on our bulletin board to be found here.

[SandyMM]

WNV vaccine is now available without an Rx. Valley Vet has a 4-in-1 + WNV available for $134 for 10 doses (IM). All of our horses will get the shot - from 10 month old to 19 year old Emi - including bred mares. Some vets are recommending 3 WNV shots/yr in high incidence areas.

[appyday]

I vaccinate each spring AND fall with WNV...even preggo....2 X each with Star and Dazzle and no problems with 3 foals and then Jerry oxygen deprived but looked and actually was nomal prior to birth...I gave Condessa hers last spring...bred her then her second in the fall and she has had her spring already so time will tell..I have known many horses to drop dead to WN in this area..miles from my house...I will continue giving it..

[moonrize]

I give WNV shots twice a year. I live in Florida, so there really is no mosquito free season :mad: Spring and Fall, all my guys get it. I've had two neighbors' horses come down with it and one died. A friend's horse also got it and made it through. Taking care of a sick horse turned out to be very expensive, time consuming, and a long hard convelesence on the horse. So I vaccinate!

Also the WNV is kin to encephalitis viruses. These vaccines have been used for years with mild to no problems at all...

[Heidi]

Whew! That is a load off my mind... Thanks!
h

[TrueStepPaso]

P.S. I've been vaccinating against WNV since its "birth" as well with no problems.

[Carol Nelson]

Same here...and will continue to do so.

[DebbieS]

Our area has lost many horses (and people) to WNV. When I bought Listo almost 3 years ago, he hadn't had a WNV shot (or any other for that matter). I was scared to death until he had his shots and boosters. He came from an area full of mosquitoes too.

I went to a clinic a few years ago given by Fort Dodge. It was amazing! The chances of a horse surviving WNV (if they had the shot and still got it) were enough to convince me!

[CarolU]

I looked into this years ago. The information on the site was totally debunked in numerous sources. The Uof Wyoming did no study on WNV.

According to Fort Dodge the vaccine is 97% effective...which is incredible considering that most vaccines are less than 90%. That STILL means that 3 in 100 hores that are vaccinated can get the disease.

It is safe in pregnant mares - definately safer then a case of WNV. Weigh the risks, weigh the odds - vaccinate.

[appyday]

I looked into this years ago. The information on the site was totally debunked in numerous sources. The Uof Wyoming did no study on WNV.

According to Fort Dodge the vaccine is 97% effective...which is incredible considering that most vaccines are less than 90%. That STILL means that 3 in 100 hores that are vaccinated can get the disease.

It is safe in pregnant mares - definately safer then a case of WNV. Weigh the risks, weigh the odds - vaccinate.


Yep...what she said... http://forums.somd.com/images/smilies/yeahthat.gif

[GeorgeGuns]

Well, I have vaccinated since the vaccines came available, Bri still got it, BUT he survived. Both of Domingo's pregnacies have been trouble free and she was vaccinated both times.
Once you have seen WNV symptoms, you don't want it, trust me.

[Tami Pinell]

When it comes to vaccines if one actually studies the reasons (medically/physically) on how they work it tends to easy the tension of the reasoning behind giving them. It makes little difference if the vaccine is for human hepatitis or West Niles in equines..... the reasoning on how and why they help a body fight off a disease process makes a LOT of sense. It also can explain the WHY when it comes down to the "I vaccinated and they still got it" types. I can tell you that I have a very HIGH titer for Strep.... can you guess why? Yes, I have had strept (human form) in my life but not enough or recent enough to give me a high titer.... I can tell you that I have recently vaccinated my herd for Strangles and I used a live vaccine. If this worries you to give vaccines - learn about the whys and hows of the way they work... You will feel better. If you are worried about birth defects then use the ancient rule of thumb that is used on ALL OB medicine and straight from my OB/GYN hubby's mouth - "DO NOT DO ANYTHING that could affect a fetus in the developmental stage of embryonic growth (usually the first trimester)." This is when the little critter is dividing and sorting out DNA material to make parts do what we know they should.... stick something weird in there and you run the risk of getting something weird.....
Vaccinate your mare before you breed her - and I have done so up to several weeks before or leave them until she is checked at the end of 3 months.... a lot of the times you will not have anything to worry about (unless they decide to spout a twin or something)....

[motorgypsy]

We bought most of our horses in Florida and boarded them there for quite a few years. Horses on neighboring farms died form West nile. Those who survivied ran up a huge vet bill. We've vaccinated since the vaccine first came out with no problems. Healthy foals and healthy horses and our stallion has had nor problems with fertility. It's very dangerous not to vaccinate.

[Edurne]

VACINATE.......believe me...... you would hate to have your horse suffer the way that Bri did ........ and he lucky boy has survived. I know of others in this area that have not.