Vaxing horses-West Nile, Tetanus, E & WEE

[Laurel723]

So I have a yearling stud and a 10 year off the track TB ( ) gelding that are both unvaxed-baby hasn't ever had them, and Jaeger (the tb) hasn't had them in the three years that I've owned him.

I'm thinking I probably want to vax them for the WNV and the EEE and WEE since WNV is life threatening-and the animal never fully recovers, and the other two because they are also deadly; I'm having a really hard time getting past not vaxing for tetanus, even though I know it's rare-just because if they were to get a puncture wound that was a tetanus friendly variety, I'd never know it, due the amount of hair...WNV, EEE and WEE have all been diagnosed locally, hence my concern....if they hadn't been I wouldn't worry about until we started traveling again. I'm sure the older gelding has been vaxed to the gills, where he was on the track.

Anyone horsey on here? Talk to me....

[nevernever]

here's my 2 cents worth

I'm horsey!

I have two homebreds, a 3 year old and a 4 year old. Both of them were born to fully vaccinated mares, so according to AAEP guidelines, I did not give "baby" shots. As yearlings, I did the 5-way, rabies and tetanus on them. they both had two doses of WNV as yearlings. They have had nothing since. If there was a rabies outbreak (which happens infrequently in my area) I may re-vaccinate for rabies. I use my horses for pleasure. If I were to get back into showing or extensive trail riding, I would probably re-evaluate my vaccine schedule. As it is, they both live at my house and rarely come into contact with other horses.

If you are planning on keeping your yearling intact and using him at stud, mare owners may have concerns? I wouldn't, but some might?

[AuntNi]

My mom has horses, and although she used to trail ride a lot, the horses no longer leave the ranch.

Due to my ranting Mom definitely sees the risks in vaccinating the *human* grandbabies. But she still fully vaxes the horses and dogs. For one thing, we've had several diagnosed cases of tetanus on the ranch, and one of the neighbor's dogs is a parvo carrier. I have no scientific evidence for this, but vaccinating a 1,000+ lb. horse seems different from a 2-month-old human infant. Maybe it's just what's the norm for me, growing up on the ranch.

[Laurel723]

I'd like to keep Max intact because he has perfect conformation: biased yes I know, and a mind that you wouldn't believe, but he's only registerable as an American Warmblood, and they (like all warmbloods) have requirements as far as approval and testing, etc.-which I think is great btw-not complaining-but even though I think he'd pass w/ flying colors (as does everyone who sees him-my farrier drools over him and he's a cowhorse guy...) I don't have the time or the money to campaign him properly, so as soon as we get a good hard frost to kill the flies, he'll be relieved of some of his, um, pride.

They're more likely to come into contact with the deer or elk that run through the pasture than another horse...unless one escapes (but the neighbors are both vet professors, so I'm sure their horses are vaxed to the 9's). (see his daddy here http://www.onthebitfarm.com/windsor.htm (that was pretty shameless wasn't it! He's the spitting image of his sire...))

I'm just not sure I can bring myself to not vax them, but I think I'll definitely hold off on the full schedule and just do the ones that concern me.....

Just wondering what everyone else's thought are...(insert sheeple icon here.....baaaahhhhh)

[CNutty]

I guess my first question would be, Are you going to show at all?
( I ask that also after seeing the link to the sire...hot stuff!!! )
I would inquire about what the circuit that you would be on requires.
As far as the vaxs in general are concerned, I think its the same as people, either you believe in the science behind them, or you dont. If you dont, then the only reason to consitter doing any of then would be if you were required to in order to compete.
Oh, and HI!! Im horsey too!!
Also, I think that sometimes they list on the coggins test all of thier current vaxs, that may be how someone hosting a show would ask for it

[2busy2clean]

Well, my mare is currently a well vaccinated horse, because I don't board her at home... yet.
Once I move her to our place, I will not vaccinate her anymore. But I'll also add that she doesn't have much value as a broodmare/riding horse. I would like to get her blood titers done and see where she is at, and I do want to see if a local vet would be willing to do an iv of vit c if we do contract any of the icky diseases.
Plus mosquito control will be high on my list of priorities!
btw, your ponies papa is gorgeous!

[Laurel723]

I thought he was pretty nice-took me a little over 5 years to decide on him (I'm a little indecisiv).....BTW, if anyones interested, his "mommy" was way easy to deal with-that's why I went with him....

Anyhoo. Yup, gonna show so will have to step it up some then...but I'm just mostly worried about right now....I'm starting him (not yet of course) so don't have to worry about boarding regs (thank God for that!)

Good idea on the titers...maybe I'll do that w/ Jaeg and see where he's at....duh. didn't think of that.:

[gardenmommy]

ok, I'm turning green! I'm horsey (I have a 12 y.o. oldenburg/TB X, a pony, and an Arab/QH X), and I think your yearling's sire is gorgeous! Very nice breeding!

I bought my Oldenburg to compete on, but then kept having babies, and, well, let's just say that most of the competing I do is with the flies and mosquitoes! Since my guys don't leave the farm too often, I just stick with the basics: tetanus, 5-way, rabies, and coggins (not a vaccine, but MI is VERY strict about this). I don't do much of anything else, but if I really got into competing again, I'd probably be a little stricter, just because it's not worth the hassle of arguing with the TD or other show officials over it, kwim?

Probably not too helpful, but there you have my 2 cents!

[Laurel723]

gardenmommy-

haha read your pm before I read your post.....


Oops.

Now I really gotta go get ready for work:

[stellimamo]

I'm horsey to... even though I'm horseless for the first time in 14 years at this point. I bred Hanoverian and Hanoverian/TB crosses and yes we vaccinated. I did skip most of the early baby shots but but by 8 months to a year we started vaxing. We did do alot of showing and there was a lot of traffic coming and going at out farm. Since WNV, EEE, and WEE are all mosquito borne I would vaccinate them. The mortality rate for EEE is extremely high (75%-100%) and the horses that do survive usually have severe brain damage, WEE has a 25-50% mortality rate and survivors often suffer life long effects. WEE and EEE are awful diseases that are terrible to watch. I know in school we had to watch a video on a EEE infected horse. Awful. I know if you live in the south its even more important to vaccinate because of the longer mosquito season and I think it's recommended to vax twice a year down south.

I also think tetanus is extremely important for horses. Mine we extremely accident prone.

[Bestbirths]

your horse's father was amazing! My dd has wanted a horse since she was about 2. I think I'd have a problem with vaxxing but the places that board all require vaxes. If you find a stable you really like and they require vaxes, then I guess they don't allow for exemptions ever and there isn't a choice? They don't give out waivers, they just don't let you board is the way I think it works around here if you don't vax. Barns around here have systems that deliver fly spray, which is a concern for me. Land out where we live is out of our reach...as is a horse...but dd might be able to work at a stable to get her horse fix (she's 13). My dd likes the American Quarter horse, but the horse in that video would make me skip a quarter horse and barrels and go dressage. Amazing that the man was in shape enough to run along side the horse. The horse has a Really beautiful gait.

[gardenmommy]

stellimamo, yes, that is why I've been less reluctant to skip vaxes for my horses. Although, since they rarely leave the farm these days, (and traffic to the farm is pretty limited), I am more lax about the situation. If I ever get back into competing and whatnot, I'm sure I'll be more diligent about it!

[Laurel723]

Originally Posted by stellimamo

Mine we extremely accident prone.

Aren't they all? I think the accident prone quotient increases directly relative to the value.....(meaning your $500 gelding that you wish would die will never get hurt, but your brand new saved-for-ten-years colt will hang himself even if you keep him in a padded stall.)

The mosquito born illnesses are the ones that I'm most concerned about-and tetanus-whether its just ingrained or a true concern, I can't tell. Better safe than sorry, I guess with that one. Do you vax for strangles or treat it like chicken pox? (A nuisance but better to have it and get it done with?) I have in the past (the nasal vaccine) but now I'm questioning the wisdom of that. Iguess if we boarded it would be one thing, but we don't....(can I say it again? Thank God for that!)

Bestbirths: I've had AQHA all my life, a few arabs ( go polish imo), and an appy (wasn't impressed with him, but one horse a breed doesn't make.) and a few other miscellaneous gaited breeds-TWH, morgan (not gaited, but ukwim), etc. I bred that stud to my AQHA mare-shes a Two Eyed Jack/Sonny Go Lucky granddaughter, if that means anything to you-if you think about getting one (an AQHA) do your research on bloodlines, especially if you just want one to play with. Some of them are great for showing but no good for having (I have a daughter of one of them-shes gorgeous but a crank....: she's for sale! ) I prefer the foundation and/or cow-bred and race-bred lines, but that's just me....

(yes, once again I'm steering off topic : .) Sorry. I'm done now.....