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VET VIEWPOINT...
WE ASK THE OPINIONS OF OUR VETS ON
WHETHER VACCINATION IS NECESSARY
Alistair Couper BVMS MRCVS
Capontree Veterinary Centre
Jane White BVetMed MRCVS CCRT
St Boniface Veterinary Clinic
Against tetanus - definitely yes! It is usually
fatal in non-vaccinated horses and causes
huge distress, so why risk it when it is
essentially preventable
?
There may be
a temptation to let vaccinations in the
elderly retired horse or pony lapse or
they may inadvertently be forgotten.
Those with Cushing's disease may be
immunocompromised so vaccination
remains important. Equally those retired
at grass may be groomed infrequently or
grow thick winter coats so that small
puncture wounds may go unnoticed.
I personally think it is advisable to
vaccinate for equine influenza. Although
new strains emerge faster than the
vaccines can keep up with, if most of the
equine population is vaccinated any
outbreak should be less severe. If an
owner elects not to vaccinate then I hope
this is an informed decision based on the
individual risk factors and discussed with
their vet. The problem then comes when
the unvaccinated horse changes yard or
ownership, as these risks then alter.
Edward Chinn CertEP BVetMed MRCVS
Alnorthumbria Veterinary Group
Vaccinations are used to help protect
horses against severe pathogens for which
there are no specific treatments. All horses
are particularly susceptible to tetanus
(a soil-living bacterium). Treatment of cases
is usually unsuccessful and yet vaccination
is effective and cheap, therefore tetanus
vaccine should be considered essential.
Equine influenza ('flu) is a common, severe
and highly contagious respiratory virus with
the young and old particularly susceptible.
Vaccination is mandatory for racing, those
competing under FEI rules as well as many
other competitions and livery yards. Some
insurance companies insist that horses are
up to date with 'flu and tetanus vaccinations
to keep their insurance valid. Currently there
are several outbreaks in the UK.
You should speak to your vet about your
horse's individual risk when considering the
use of equine herpesvirus and strangles
vaccines. There are other equine vaccines
available for breeding mares and stallions
(providing protection against rotavirus and
equine viral arteritis) also horses travelling
outside the UK (West Nile virus).
The simple one word answer to this is
yes. This could be countered with the
opinion that as a vet what else would
I say. I would respond that I always
consider what is best for the animal and
since vaccines are developed to protect
animals from diseases that are often fatal,
then vaccination has to be in the best
interests of the animal.
For horses when we consider vaccination
we are usually discussing equine
influenza ('flu) and tetanus. Vaccinating
against tetanus is an absolute must no
matter what the age of the horse,
because tetanus is extremely difficult to
treat and watching an animal dying
from tetanus or euthanasing an animal to
alleviate its suffering during attempts
to treat it, is a horrible experience for
the vet, owner and horse alike.
I would always recommend vaccinating
against 'flu. However there are some
circumstances (e.g. if an older horse
is no longer competing and is overdue
its 'flu jab by one day), where I would
struggle to recommend starting the
primary course again and would
not consider giving the horse three
'flu vaccinations over seven months
as being in its best interest, especially
if it is needle shy!
Is vaccination really
necessary?
WINTER 2014 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
18