What are Vaccines?

Vaccines provide your pet with an enhanced level of immunity to common feline diseases. Vaccines accomplish this by introducing a smaill quantity of an altered or "killed" virus or bacteria into your pets bloodstream. This stimulates their immune system to produce disease-fighting antibodies which will protect your pet from these diseases in the case of a future challenge.

What should you vaccinate your horse for?

Tetanus – Tetanus is an often fatal disease, caused by an anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium, Clostridium tetani. These bacteria are found in the intestinal tract and feces of horses, other animals and humans, as well as in abundance in the soil. Disease occurs when the bacteria infect open lacerations, puncture wounds, surgical incisions, or exposed tissues, such as the umbilicus of a newborn foal. Horses are the most susceptible species to tetanus, and symptoms include localized stiffness (jaw and neck muscles, area surrounding wound, and hind limbs), hyperesthesia, and spasms. Mortality is around 80%.

Rabies – Rabies is a virus, causing neurological disease in horses. Horses become infected with the virus through the bite of an infected wild animal. The virus migrates through nerves, to the brain where it causes rapidly progressive, fatal encephalitis. Symptoms include fever, lethargy, anorexia, altered behavior, weakness, hyperesthesia, incoordination, lameness, colic, inability to swallow, blindness, and convulsions. 

Equine Influenza –   Equine Influenza is one of the most common infectious diseases of the equine respiratory tract. Horses 1 to 5 years of age are most susceptible, as well as those that are exposed to large numbers of horses, frequently. Influenza is highly contagious and may be spread via aerosolized virus, as well as contaminated buckets, grooming/feeding equipment, and tack. Symptoms include nasal discharge, fever, lethargy, anorexia, and cough. The incubation period of the virus is 1 to 3 days, and infected horses can shed the virus for up to 10 days.

Equine Herpesvirus – Otherwise known as Rhinopneumonitis, equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) can infect the respiratory tract of horses. Infection is most common in weanlings, yearlings, and young horses entering training, although older horses may also be affected. Symptoms include fever, lethargy, anorexia, nasal discharge and cough. Like most herpesviruses, EHV-4 can remain latent in the majority of horses, meaning that they do not show clinical signs of the disease, but may shed the virus. Clinical signs of the virus may surface in stressful situations, or situations of decreased immune competence.

West Nile Virus (WNV) -  West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne virus, which can cause inflammation of the brain and spinal cord in horses, birds, and humans.   Most horses that are bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus will not develop clinical signs.  Those that do may show symptoms including listlessness, lack of co-ordination, weakness in the limbs, muscle twitching, partial paralysis, the inability to rise, and potentially death or euthanasia due to complications of the disease. There is no specific treatment for West Nile Virus, other than supportive therapy. Some horses may acquire permanent neurological deficits from infection with the virus.

Eastern/Western Equine Encephalitis (EEE/WEE) – Both EEE and WEE are mosquito-borne viruses. Symptoms include acute onset of fever, tremors, disorientation, ataxia, paralysis, and in some cases death. There is no specific treatment for EEE or WEE, just supportive therapy, similar to WNV.

Strangles -  Otherwise known as Streptococcus equi, Strangles is a highly contagious bacterial disease.  Strangles affects young horses mostly, but may also affect adults. The bacteria is spread via contact with an infected horse, or via contaminated feed bins, water troughs etc. Symptoms include anorexia, fever, upper respiratory discomfort, copious amounts of nasal discharge, and swollen/abscessed lymph nodes. Some individual horses may develop a syndrome called pupura hemorrhagica secondary to exposure to natural or vaccinal streptococcal antigens. This syndrome is non-contagious and is caused by an immune-mediated vasculitis.

Recommended Vaccine Guidelines for your Horse:  

Please remember that the vaccine schedule recommended by your vet may deviate from the one below depending on lifestyle and risk assessment. The vaccine guidelines below are recommended for the majority of horses in Southern Ontario.

6 months -- Tetanus, Rhino-Flu, Rabies, WNV, EEE/WEE, Strangles (optional, and for those at increased risk)

Notes: One booster is required for Tetanus, Rhino-Flu, WNV, and EEE/WEE, approximately 4 weeks apart.

Foals which are born to a non-vaccinated mare should be vaccinated earlier than 6 months for Tetanus and Rabies (4 months).

Annual -- Tetanus, Rhino-Flu, Rabies, WNV, EEE/WEE (best if annual booster done in the spring), Strangles (optional, and for those at increased risk)

*Those horses (i.e. performance horses) with frequent exposure to large numbers of horses should be vaccinated for Rhino-Flu every six months.

Pregnant Mares:      

Can be vaccinated for EHV-1 (inactivated vaccine) at the 5th, 7th, and 9th months of gestation. An optional dose may also be given at the 3rd month of gestation.

Should be vaccinated two weeks prior to foaling with Tetanus, Rabies, and Rhino-Flu.