Equine Vaccinations

EQUINE INFLUENZA:

• Highly infectious influenza virus affecting equids only.
• Highly contagious infection but with low mortality.
• An outbreak would cause severe disruption to the equine industry with movement restrictions and events cancelled.
• Controlled by vaccination (but needs 80% of all horses to be vaccinated to prevent spread of an epidemic.

Vaccination regime (in line with Jockey Club rules)

• 1^st injection (from five months of age)
• 2^nd injection (21-92 days after first)
• 3^rd injection (150 – 215 days after second)
• Boosters – yearly (365 days or less)

Vaccination restrictions

• Horses can’t compete for seven days after an injection or for seven days after the second injection of a new course.
• There is no requirement to rest a horse after a vaccination.

TETANUS:

• A soil-borne bacteria that gains entry via wounds.
• Causes rapidly progressive paralysis of muscles and death.
• Treatment radical and usually unsuccessful.
• Can affect all species but equines are particularly susceptible.
• Totally preventable by vaccination.

Vaccination regime (commonly given with Influenza vaccination)

• 1^st injection
• 2^nd injection one month later
• Booster – every two years.

EQUINE HERPES VIRUS:

• Infectious disease with four strains causing respiratory disease, abortion and paralysis.
• Respiratory form is one cause of infectious cough in horses.
• Pregnant mares are at risk of aborting following contact with other aborting mares or horses with respiratory disease.
• Prevented by vaccination

Vaccination regime

• A) Pregnant mares – vaccinated in 5^th, 7^th & 9^th months of pregnancy.
• B) Young stock/other horses from five months old

-          Primary course of 2 injections – 4-6 weeks apart

-          Boosters every six months

ROTAVIRUS VACCINE:

Given to pregnant mares in 8th, 9th and 10th months of pregnancy to confer PASSIVE ANTIBODY PROTECTION to their foals at suckling

EQUINE VIRAL ARTERITIS:

• Used in breeding stallions
• Requires pre-vaccination blood sample to prove the animal isn’t a carrier of the disease.
• Vaccination then recorded on passport.

WEST NILE VIRUS:

• An emerging disease abroad but getting closer to UK with spread of mosquito vectors.
• Causes fatal encephalitis/meningitis with no cure.
• New vaccine available but at present only recommended in this country if horse has been abroad.

Vaccination regime (from 3 to 4 months)

• Primary Course – 2 injections, one month apart
• 3^rd injection – 6 months after second
• Boosters – yearly.