Cinch Magazine

Other reactions that your horse may exhibit that are slightly more common, but still rare, are stiffness or swelling, or even an abscess at the injection sight.

Another good thing to realize is that any vaccine that has been reported to cause harmful side effects will have had its license revoked and has been pulled from the shelf. On the other hand if your horse is being injected with a new, modified vaccine, the risks may be less tested.

Vaccines don't give a hundred percent guarantee that your horse will never contract the disease but it does up your horse's chances of never having a severe reaction to that disease.

A vet will likely only recommend these specific vaccines for the average horse in a less susceptible environment, rabies, tetanus, EEE (Eastern equine encephalitis), and West Nile (which is only administered in the spring), all of which require yearly booster shots. These diseased hold the most significant health risk to your horse.

Rabies, which can be transmitted through bite or scratch wounds progresses rapidly and is fatal the instant the horse shows the symptoms. Even your vet is vaccinated for rabies. Some vets won't step onto a farm that's animals have not been vaccinated for rabies. Most mammals can carry the disease and transmit if from one to another unlike distemper that cannot be past from raccoon to cat to dog and so on. There were five equine cases of rabies in Ontario in 2001, thanks to vaccines. There was only one the following year. Every horse should be vaccinated for rabies; in fact, in certain provinces, it’s the law.

Horses are especially susceptible to Tetanus, the disease effecting equines of all ages. The Tetanus causing bacteria, Clostridium tetani is present in most soil and easily manifests in low oxygen conditions. Tetanus most commonly enters the horse's body through any form of cuts especially damage around the hooves which are closer to the dirt. Once inside the body Tetanus immediately blocks the horse's neurotransmissions causing uncontrolled muscle spasms, contractions and lockjaw. Tetanus is another disease that should always be vaccinated against.

Mosquitoes that feed on birds spread both Eastern equine encephalitis and the West Nile virus. EEE can be found traveling downward from southeastern Canada all the way to South America effecting every southeastern region in-between it develops into acute symptoms with 85% of its victims. The ones that survive will continue to show neurological symptoms there after. EEE cases have increased incredibly since the late 1900 to early 2000s and seems to be on the spread.  

 The threat of West Nile became a more prominent threat in 2002 when there were over one hundred equine cases in Ontario. It is because of vaccines that that number was lessened by 90% the following year. 30% of all West Nile cases will manifest neurological symptoms.  

How at risk is your horse? A number of things apply. Like I mentioned before, geographical location. What diseases are common in your area? Broodmares should also always be vaccinated for certain diseases since many bacterial or viral infections can cause abortion in the pregnant mare. Some diseases can even lie dormant until later when there may be a higher chance of abortion in the mare. Foals are supported by their mother's immunoglobulins from the mare's colostrum (milk) until they are about 8-12 weeks old. The foals own antibodies may not be active until two months of age. All broodmares should be vaccinated 4-6 weeks before foaling and the foal vaccinated at six months of age, a few exceptions applying for foals who's mothers were not vaccinated.

Another factor to consider is how many horses go through your stable or come in contact with your horse? Barns with horse shows or other events where horses are going to and from the stable are at a higher risk of spreading diseases such as the influenza and strangles bacteria, which you may wish to consider protecting your horse against.

It is true that horses are able to build immunities to certain diseases without the aid of vaccines but none the less you never know if your horse has these immunities or not. Consider it this way, if your horse showed signs of severe illness you would make an emergency call to the vet would you not? An emergency call costing anywhere from $30 to $60 more than regularly scheduled vet visits. The vaccine only costs $10 to $30 per shot and you save yourself the risk that the horse may and quite possibly could contract any number of illnesses.

If you doubt vaccinations, accept the advice of millions of horse lovers and vaccinate for these four diseases at the least. If other circumstances prevail that put your horse at risk, consider others and always speak with your veterinarian when questioning anything over your horse's health.