Vaccination Of Horses Flashcards
What are the core vaccines of horses
The viral encephalitis virus vaccines (EEE, WEE, WNV, VEE)
Rabies
Tetanus
What are the viral encephalitis virus vaccines
Eastern equine encephalitis (killed)
Western equine encephalitis (killed)
Venezuelan equine encephalitis (killed)
West Nile virus (killed, canarypox or Flavivirus)
Combination vaccines:
- EEE and WEE
- EEE, WEE and WNV (killed)
- EEE and WEE is often combo with tetanus with separate WNV vaccine
Describe the protocol for the viral encephalitis vaccines
Two doses initially 3-4 weeks apart
Annual boosting
Typically done in spring, prior to mosquito season (highest risk in august)
Foals are not usually vaccinated unless in a high risk area (colostrum antibody)
Foals born to unvaccinated mare require 3 vaccine series
describe rabies vaccination in horses
Not widely used (even though core) because horses do not bite
Killed vaccine, 2ml dose (2 vials used)
Only one dose for initial series Boosting annually (even 3 year vaccine is boosted annually in horses)
Do not vaccinate foals before 12 weeks of age, given 2 doses starting at >6 months of age (no maternal antibody)
Describe tetanus vaccination in horses
Often combines with encephalitis vaccines
Initial series with 2 injections followed by annual boosting
Pregnant mares: vaccinated 4-6 weeks before foaling
Foals: 3 shots, initially at 4-6 months of age with 1 month inbetween with last injection at 10-12 months of age
Tetanus vaccination and wounds
Revaccinate if previous vaccine was over 6 months ago
Some give antitoxin and vaccine together for overall protection when they have a wound
What are the optional equine vaccines
Influenza
Equine herpes virus (EHV)
Strangles
What is influenza in horses
Important problem in performance horses (race horses, mainly young performance horses 1-5 yo)
Highly contagious URT disease (cough, runny eyes/nose, fever and loss of performance)
For adult horses who are unvaccinated or unknown status, frequency of influenza vaccination depends on
Type of vaccine
- MLV IN: 1 dose
- canarypox vector: 1”2 doses 4-6 weeks apart
- inactivated (killed): 3 doses at 0 weeks, 4 weeks, 3rd dose at 3-6month of age
Boost/Revaccinate at 6-12 month intervals
IN vaccine needs at least 7 days for protection
IN influenza vaccines provide great protection, what is the problem with IN vaccine?
Does not boost colostral antibody levels
For pregnant mares, a killed or canarypox vaccine will boost colostral antibody
What is equine herpes virus
Different strains
1) URT signs: fever, cough, nasal discharge, spleen LN. Mainly a problem in weaning
2) neurological signs: hind end paralysis, ataxia, recumbency and death. Seen in all ages
Some produce abortion and latent infections
Describe the different equine herpes vaccine types
NONE give complete protection m
1) MLV given IM: partial protection against respiratory and possibly neurologic disease
2) killed combines with influenza (calvenza): protection against respiratory disease
3) killed (pneumabort K +1b or Prodigy): protection against abortion and resp disease and possible neurologic form. To protect against abortion give at 5,7,9 months of pregnancy with every pregnancy. For Resp protection give 3 doses initially and Revaccinate annually
What is strangles
Caused by S. equi subspecies Equi
Mainly seen in weanlings and yearlings
Signs: depression, fever, purulent nasal discharge, swollen LN, abscesses in LN (more severe in bastard strangles strain)
What are the vaccines for strangles
More vaccine related problems with strangles vaccines than any other (abscesses due to injectables, fever and purpura hemorrhagica which is life threatening) and risk of causing disease
Killed vaccines give poor immunity
MLV IN: Strong immunity after 2 doses (abscess problem if given multiple vaccines, adverse reaction in young foals)
Still used with success
