vaccinate | Horse Racing Free Tips

Too Much Of A Good Thing: Can A Horse Be Vaccinated Too Often?

When preparing for vaccinations, it's helpful to know what a horse has been vaccinated for in the past. If a horse's vaccination history is unknown, it's best to assume that he has not received any vaccinations at all and use the protocols designed for unvaccinated horses, which might include boosters of some vaccinations. Additional doses of most vaccinations will not harm a horse, reports EQUUS magazine.

The strangles vaccine is the one exception: it should not be given if a horse's vaccination history is unknown. In rare cases, horses that have had strangles before and those that have been repeatedly vaccinated for the disease may have a serious complication called purpura hemorrhagica if they are vaccinated again, according to Dr. David Horohov of the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, Ky.

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Purpura hemorrhagica is an immune reaction that causes the blood vessels in the head, legs, and abdomen to swell. This condition is painful for the horse as circulation is impaired. Horses with purpura hemorrhagica can be very depressed and it can take a long time for the swelling to abate. Purpura hemorrhagica can be fatal if it isn't treated effectively or in a timely manner.

Though the risk of purpura hemorrhagica is small, it's best to pull a strangles titer on a horse with an unknown history. The titer will show if a horse carries antibodies to Streptococcus equi. If he does show titers, he doesn't need to be vaccinated again.

Don’t Hesitate To Vaccinate For EHV With Other Core Vaccines

With the onset of the most serious EHV-1 outbreak Europe has seen in years, horse owners and caretakers are reminded of the necessity of vaccinating horses against the deadly disease. Questions have arisen regarding the best timing of vaccine administration — should the EHV vaccine be given concurrently with other AAEP-recommended core vaccines or should the vaccines be split into multiple doses?

Research suggests that vaccinations for equine influenza virus (EIV) and equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) can safely be administered on the same day without compromising the horse's immune response.

Scientists from the Irish Equine Centre in Kildare divided 30 healthy horses into two groups to test the efficacy of the vaccines alone and used in tandem. The first group received the EIV vaccine and then a combination EHV-1 and EHV-4 vaccine two weeks apart. The second group was given both vaccines on the same day. Blood samples were taken from all horses before and after the vaccinations to measure antibody levels to EIV, EHV-1 and EHV-4.

Results showed that the horses vaccinated for both EHV and EIV on the same day had slightly higher antibody response to EIV vaccines than those horses that were vaccinated two weeks apart. There was no significant difference in EHV-1 and EHV-4 antibody response between the two groups.

The study team concludes that administering EIV and EHV-1 and -4 concurrently will not compromise the horse's immune system response.

Equine Influenza Outbreak Kills Nearly 50 Wild Donkeys In CA

Equine influenza has killed 46 wild donkeys in Riverside, CA, since mid-October and more are expected to die from the disease.

DonkeyLand, a nonprofit burro rescue located in California, reported that more than 50 additional donkeys are coughing and showing signs of respiratory issues. The Riverside County Department of Animal Services reports that the majority of the deaths have occurred in Reche Canyon, but dead donkeys have also been found along Pigeon Pass Road, Heacock Street and Redlands Boulevard.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture veterinarians, Moreno Valley Animal Services and San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control are assisting DonkeyLand Rescue with care of the sick animals. Ill burros are being transported to DonkeyLand or to the SoCal Equine Hospital and quarantined; they will be released back into the wild upon recovery.

Donkeys that are around the sick donkeys are also being transported to the clinics, where they are vaccinated for flu and other diseases before being released back into the wild once they show no sign of the disease. Donkeys are more susceptible to equine influenza and develop severe secondary bacterial infections, which is what is killing the wild donkeys.

The public is advised to avoid contact with the wild burros and to keep horses away from wild donkeys to avoid disease transmission. Owners of horses in the area are encouraged to vaccinate their horses and put biosecurity measures in place to keep from spreading the disease.

Read the AAEP Equine Influenza Fact Sheet here.

Two EEE Cases In Florida Euthanized

On July 27, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) was confirmed both Santa Rosa and Bradford Counties in Florida. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported on July 20 that an 8-year-old pony mare in Santa Rosa presented with incoordination, hind-end weakness and the inability to stand. The mare was euthanized. There was no EEE vaccination history

The horse with EEE in Bradford County was a 7-year-old pony gelding that began exhibiting signs on July 18. He was also unable to stand and uncoordinated. The gelding was also euthanized; he was undervaccinated.

These two horses are the 13th and 14th case of EEE in Florida in 2020.

EEE is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that affects the central nervous system of horses. Horses with EEE can have a fever, be depressed, have no interest in food or show difficulty swallowing. Additionally, the horse may have behavior changes like aggression or drowsiness, or walk circles, press his head or become blind.

Fatality rates for EEE are between 75 and 80 percent, with death occurring two to three days after clinical signs come on. Horses that survive may have residual impairment.

EEE vaccinations are available and significantly reduce the risk of infection. Additionally, horse owners and caretakers should reduce mosquito populations as much as possible by removing standing water and applying insect repellent to equines.

For more information about EEE, visit AAEP.

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