18 - Vaccination Programs For Horses

Question 1

What are the core vaccines of horses?

Answer 1

EEE, WEE, WNV, rabies, tetanus

Question 2

What type of vaccine does the EEE/WEE, Tetanus, and rabies come in? MLV, Killed, Recombinant?

Answer 2

EEE/WEE - killed, excellent serological response
WNV - Killed(whole virus), recombinant canarypox (expressed protective antigens), flavivirus (expressed protective antigens)
Tetanus = excellent serological response. Vax is >6mo since tetanus

Question 3

A horse was wounded and had their tetanus shot 7 months ago. Should they booster?

Answer 3

Yes. >6 mo since last booster is needed and should consider tetanus antitoxin

Question 4

What are some combo core vaccines? How many initial doses/ When do we give them?

Answer 4

Combo vx’s - WEE/EEE, EEE/WEE, tetanus, EEE/WEE/Tetanus/WNV
2 doses initially, 4-6wks apart, annual revax, typically performed in spring, prior to mosquito season, higher risk is august onwards

Question 5

What are some risk-based vaccines?

Answer 5

Equine influenza
Equine herpes virus (EHV-1 and EHV-2)
Strangles
Anthrax
botulism - clostridium botulinum
equine viral arteritis (EVA)
leptsospirosis
Potomax horse fever - ehlichia risticci
rotavirus
snake bite

Question 6

What is EIV?

Answer 6

Equine influenza virus
important in performance horses like race horses and show horses
affects horses 1-5yrs
will have loss of performance bc of the increased risk of pleuropneumonia

Question 7

What is the killed version of EIV? What is the dosing schedule

Answer 7

Killed (calvenza)
3 doses at 0 weeks, 3-4wks later, 3rd dose at 3-6mo later
revax @ 6-12 mo intervals

Question 8

What is the MLV intranasal. How many doses? what are the advantages?

Answer 8

1 dose, no booster req
revax @ 6-12 mo intervals
great protection but does not boost colostral Ab lvls - use killed or canary pox vaccines to boost colostral Ab (broodmares)
outbreak mitigation - need at least 7d. for protection

Question 9

What is EHV-1? What are the symptoms?

Answer 9

EHV-1/EHV-2 Upper resp issues like fever, cough, nasal discharge, swollen LN, mainly a problem in weanlings
Just EHV-1 Neurological signs - hind-end paralysis, ataxia, recumbency, death, all ages, abortion, latent infections

Question 10

What is the MLV version of the EHV vaccine. How many doses? Protection?

Answer 10

none give complete protection, only partial against respiratory and neurological dz - decreased nasal shedding
MLV (rhinomune) IM
1 dose no booster

Question 11

What is the killed version of the EHV? How many doses, protection?

Answer 11

killed (Calvenza)
one for EHV1, EHV4 and EIV
3 doses, 3-4 wks apart and then annual revax
combined with influenza
protection against resp dz - partial protection against neurological/abortion w/ dec nasal shedding

Question 12

What is the killed version of the EHV vaccine? How many doses? Protection?

Answer 12

Killed (pneumabort K +1b or prodigy)
protection against resp dz - partial against neurological/abortion and dec nasal shedding
to protect against abortion give @ 5, 7 and 9 months of pregnancy, every pregnancy
resp protection - 3 doses initially when they’re weaning, 3-4wks later and 6 months later. revax anually

Question 13

What is strangles?

Answer 13

caused by streptococcus equi equi
Affects weanlings/yearlings
signs are depression, fever, purulent, runny nose, swollen LN, abscesses - more severe signs in bastard strangles

Question 14

Which vaccine has the highest risk of adverse reactions?

Answer 14

Strangles?
includes risk of abscesses (Injectable vx’s), fever and purpura (life threatening)
risk of dz caused by vx

Question 15

What is the killed version of strangles, how many? What about the MLV IN?

Answer 15

Killed - 3 doses, 3 week interval w/ annual revax, give poor immunity, used to prevent spread during strangles outbreak
MLV IN, strong immunity after 2 doses, give 2-3 week interval w/ annual revax
can develop abscess if given injections at same time - administer other IM vx’s first before giving IN, or administer IN at a later date

Question 16

What is the alternative name for bastard strangles

Answer 16

metastatic strangles - systemic strangles that affects LN elsewhere than the head, so you can’t see the abscesses elsewhere

Question 17

What should we keep in mind with broodmares when vaccinating?

Answer 17

vax at 5,7,9 months gestation for EHV-1(causes abortion/neuro), w/ pneumabort K+, prodigy
4-5 wks prepartum - EEE/WEE, tetanus, WNV, EHV-1, EHV-1(respiratory - calvenza), EIV
Prior to breeding should be vaxxed for rabies

Question 18

What should we keep in mind when vaccinating foals?

Answer 18

Assuming born to previously vaxxed mare
1st dose (4-6mo age)
2nd dose (4-6wks after) - EEE/WEE, Rabies, tetanus, WNV, EHV1, EHV4(killed or MLV)
3 dose (10-12 mo) - EEE/WEE, tetanus, WNV, EHV1, EHV4(killed or MLV), EIV (MLV IN)
revax and yearly intervals

Question 19

Which vaccines would racehorses and other performance horses benefit from?

Answer 19

Influenza vaccines, herpes vaccines