24/03/2022
Have you ever wondered WHY we vaccinate horses in the spring? Because as the weather warms up, insect re-emerge and bring with them the potential of disease, like West Nile Virus and EEE/WEE which are both transmitted by mosquitoes. By vaccinating your horse prior to the start of mosquito season, you ensure your equine friend has a defense system ready to go against such diseases.
EEE/WEE, West Nile virus, Rabies and Tetanus are categorized as core vaccines, which means *every single horse* should receive them every year. Additional risk-based vaccines (Botulism, Equine Herpesvirus, Strangles, Equine Influenza, Potomac Horse Fever, Equine Viral Arteritis, Anthrax, Rotavirus, Snake Bite and Leptospiroris) are available that your veterinarian may or may not recommend depending on your horse’s individual situation (e.g., location/environment, lifestyle, use and age).
While you may be tempted to vaccinate your horse yourself with over-the-counter products to save yourself some money, be advised that the benefits of using a veterinarian for vaccinations far outweigh any savings you think you are making. For example, you may give your horses unnecessary vaccines or skip a booster dose, and the chance of improper storage/handling of products is far greater. Veterinarians know all the ins and outs: Vaccinations need to be scheduled around other medications to prevent interactions, and in the case of vaccine side effects, an experienced veterinarian is ultimately more qualified to handle the situation.
In addition, a vaccination appointment is also the perfect opportunity for an annual physical examination of your equine friend, which allows your veterinarian to evaluate your horse’s nutrition and general health, plus detect and treat any conditions before they get established. So if you have yet to contact your veterinarian about scheduling your horse's spring vaccinations, we encourage you to do it soon!
To learn more, extensive vaccination guidelines are available to both horse owners and veterinarians on our website at https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines.