6 month vaccine
- Thread starter racebuddy
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I personally don’t agree with it, so I will just organise trips out around my normal yearly vaccine. It was a knee jerk reaction to racing’s freak out.
You don't need to have a 6 month vaccination, as was mentioned to you on your previous threads about this earlier this year. No longer required, unless you are doing FEI classes?
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Racing didn't freak out, it was the first to point out that the bug was floating about again quite prominently. If racing hadn't have flagged it up would it have even been noticed? And it was only because a few youngsters got sick and nothing was working treatment wise that they were blood tested to find out what was going on. They caught it off of another bunch of livery horses from the field next door to theirs, not actual racehorses. Racing went to an 8 monthly vaccine rule just to appease the general public, not because they thought it was needed. Racing has now gone back to 12 monthly vaccines.
FEI will keep the 6 monthly vaccine as will affiliated riding clubs I expect but they majority of places will probably go back to yearly vaccs from now on in. Just always check with the venue/show organiser first.
FEI will keep the 6 monthly vaccine as will affiliated riding clubs I expect but they majority of places will probably go back to yearly vaccs from now on in. Just always check with the venue/show organiser first.
I’m not sure that’s right. I looked into it recently and ended up doing a 6 monthly one. Looks like BE and BD require it, BS doesn’t but individual show centres can implement there own rules on it, so it might be you need it for some BS centres.
For the sake of £40 I just got it done!
For the sake of £40 I just got it done!
Racing has the biggest movement of horses daily in the uk. Therefore the biggest spread risk. I had a horse unvaccinated for years as he was just too old and with him taking reactions I just didn’t see the point and neither did my vet. Never an issue nor an outbreak. I was never asked for proof of vaccination.
It was not an issue until it was racing’s issue. You don’t need to defend it to me my dad was heavily involved when I was younger, I’m not bashing racing. I defend it on most occasions.
It was not an issue until it was racing’s issue. You don’t need to defend it to me my dad was heavily involved when I was younger, I’m not bashing racing. I defend it on most occasions.
I stand corrected then. Our local big centres removed the need and I've assisted with BS so assumed it ran across all.
In practice I tend to do it every 6 months but it’s not strictly that is it? It’s having the vaccine within 6 months of attending that event/location. So you can have a longer period between, depending when you’re competing. But with diaries being shot to hell with COVID, and me not really knowing when I’ll want to be out, I’ve just done it as 6 monthly.
ETA I’ve seen some places relax it back to 12 months but not all, so that’s another reason I default to making sure he’s been done within 6 months. Not seen anything that suggests it’s bad for their health necessarily (outside of ‘normal’ potential vaccine side effects).
ETA I’ve seen some places relax it back to 12 months but not all, so that’s another reason I default to making sure he’s been done within 6 months. Not seen anything that suggests it’s bad for their health necessarily (outside of ‘normal’ potential vaccine side effects).
If it’s not effective for the year then why were the jabs always annual? I was told that it was effective for 12months so clearly there is conflicting information somewhere 🤷🏼♀️
Possibly they were annual because nobody bothered to test the blood and find out how long it was effective for. In humans we just give it at the start of the flu season and don't worry about it not lasting through the summer when flu cases are low. Maybe they just went for annual in horses because it's annual in humans.
But the FEI decision was based on an identified drop in effectiveness after 6 months, I believe, hence the rule change.
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But the FEI decision was based on an identified drop in effectiveness after 6 months, I believe, hence the rule change.
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Perhaps, however a quick google has multiple vet pages advising annual boosters, only FEI and RHA requiring 6mnth 🤷🏼♀️ Just seems a bit odd.
I won’t be putting 6months into mine. I’m not antivax however having a horse who was hard to jab and took reactions means I will continue to just give annual. No issues for many many years and I’m not exactly going to race him or go FEI 😉.
I won’t be putting 6months into mine. I’m not antivax however having a horse who was hard to jab and took reactions means I will continue to just give annual. No issues for many many years and I’m not exactly going to race him or go FEI 😉.
It’s not just the FEI and RHA. It’s the majority of the sporting organisations in this country and many of the big show centres for unaff too.
The OP was about 6 month vaccines to get out and about, not about the value of 6 month vaccines for leisure horses at home - FWIW mine that don’t go anywhere only get 12 monthly vaccines.
When there was a flu outbreak ?18 months ago, the data presented on titre levels showed a sufficient drop in protection towards the end of the 12 month vaccination cycle, still some protection, but the 6 month rule was bought in quite rightly to provide optimum protection for those horses out and about.
The OP was about 6 month vaccines to get out and about, not about the value of 6 month vaccines for leisure horses at home - FWIW mine that don’t go anywhere only get 12 monthly vaccines.
When there was a flu outbreak ?18 months ago, the data presented on titre levels showed a sufficient drop in protection towards the end of the 12 month vaccination cycle, still some protection, but the 6 month rule was bought in quite rightly to provide optimum protection for those horses out and about.
I understand the High Level requiring it or those travelling abroad.
However I still don’t see the requirement for low level which is what many ‘leisure horse’ owners are. I am still of the opinion it was a knee jerk reaction. My horse goes out and about. We go to shows, have been to RHS and Aintree. He won’t be getting a double vaccine. If necessary I will just compete in the window I have if this continues, which for anything under FEI I cannot see it continuing, many people feel the same.
However I still don’t see the requirement for low level which is what many ‘leisure horse’ owners are. I am still of the opinion it was a knee jerk reaction. My horse goes out and about. We go to shows, have been to RHS and Aintree. He won’t be getting a double vaccine. If necessary I will just compete in the window I have if this continues, which for anything under FEI I cannot see it continuing, many people feel the same.
Many people may not agree, but the rules are there for a reason and they are based on science.
I was unfortunate enough to witness equine influenza in the last big outbreak in 2 horses stabled here who were vaccinated with the annual vaccine and who never leave the premises. They survived, but they were very unwell.
I was unfortunate enough to witness equine influenza in the last big outbreak in 2 horses stabled here who were vaccinated with the annual vaccine and who never leave the premises. They survived, but they were very unwell.
It is the FEI, BD and BE at 6 months. Believe BHA is now at 9 months, pending full consultation. Flu outbreaks are a big deal and anyone competing and travelling horses regularly should be taking it seriously. Doesn't matter if an old horse at home doesn't go out often - if a field mate does, vaccinations are important.
No doubt the BHA consultation will inform future policy for all the main disciplines. Ignoring the random free-for-all chaos of the showing world, of course.
No doubt the BHA consultation will inform future policy for all the main disciplines. Ignoring the random free-for-all chaos of the showing world, of course.
That fair enough if they are however I am not disputing the need for a vaccination. Not once have I said that, what I am disputing is the need for 6monthly ones when in my lifetime I haven’t come across a case of equine flu on any yard I have been on where horses have been vaccinated annually 🤷🏼♀️ Yes maybe I have been lucky however I very much doubt that has been the case. As I said my horse will get his annual and if the powers that be keep the 6month requirement then he can compete from June to December.
Also showing uses many of the same venues as BS/BD 😉
Also showing uses many of the same venues as BS/BD 😉
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Nah BHA is back to yearly vaccs, has been for a good few months now.
To be fair depending on what you do/when your season is you could vacc at the start ans that would be you covered for your season as it's not strictly 6 monthly just within 6 monthes. So for the majority of showing folk who just do the traditional summer season you could Vacc the last week of March and be good til September. Same with Eventing. Obviously dressage and jumping run all year round so it is personal preferance if you do it year round or stick to a season of sorts.
To be fair depending on what you do/when your season is you could vacc at the start ans that would be you covered for your season as it's not strictly 6 monthly just within 6 monthes. So for the majority of showing folk who just do the traditional summer season you could Vacc the last week of March and be good til September. Same with Eventing. Obviously dressage and jumping run all year round so it is personal preferance if you do it year round or stick to a season of sorts.
I've just had the yearly one done so will see in August if I need 6 months.
However recently was party to a surreal discussion as to whether BRC needed to implement the 6 month rule for their areas which were online. They decided to allow yearly for the trip from the barn to the manege.
However recently was party to a surreal discussion as to whether BRC needed to implement the 6 month rule for their areas which were online. They decided to allow yearly for the trip from the barn to the manege.
Is that back to 12 months temporarily because of covid, or have they had their review and permanently gone back to 12 months? Last update I saw was April last year... (not that i'm in the racing world any more anyway)
Makes you wonder doesn't it?
Just like tetanus.... if you have an accident 12.months post booster, you have to have anti-tet which is more expensive than having the tetanus booster.
A vet friend advised me of this, I then checked with my vet who confirmed this to be true.
So why vaccinate against tetanus every other year if it offers protection for 12 months only?
Needless to say, I now have to have tetanus yearly for our pony.
The mind boggles!
Just like tetanus.... if you have an accident 12.months post booster, you have to have anti-tet which is more expensive than having the tetanus booster.
A vet friend advised me of this, I then checked with my vet who confirmed this to be true.
So why vaccinate against tetanus every other year if it offers protection for 12 months only?
Needless to say, I now have to have tetanus yearly for our pony.
The mind boggles!
This doesn't sound right to me. I've never had a vet suggest that a horse with a cut should be given anti toxin if its tetanus jab is over a year old.
Also in humans, there is lifetime immunity after 5 jabs and the NHS won't give you more.
It's not like flu, it's a bacteria not a virus, and there are some (one?) tetanus jabs with 3 year interval and I've heard it said that three years may effective for all of them.
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It's still recommended every 10 years if you travel to certain areas, not sure if it's still free but Polio is and they now give a combined Polio, Tetanus and Diptheria so you effectively get Tet as well. Mind you no one is sure if I've had 5 as I don't remember them as a child, all my records were lost when I was at Uni and I've had 2 possibly 3 as an adult.
My vets now automatically do Tetanus every other year after checking the passport.
My vets now automatically do Tetanus every other year after checking the passport.
I double checked and was told this is correct by my vet.
It doesn't mean the tetanus vaccine doesn't work but if you have an accident post 12 months, anti tet will be advised. I'm guessing immunity must wane after a period of time and maybe not give optimal cover after the first 12 months - I'm not saying it doesn't offer some protection still but why the anti-tet if you're within the 2 years?
So in my view, what is the point in having it every 2 years when the anti-tet is more expensive than the booster itself.
I now have mine done yearly to avoid this.
I'm not aware of a 3 yearly vaccine, I always had the bi-annual booster, until I discovered this.
I appreciate its a bacteria, not a virus, but I do think we're led to believe lots of things around vaccines where there are huge grey areas!
Edited to add - I'm not with that vet anymore but will check with my current vet to see what they say.
It doesn't mean the tetanus vaccine doesn't work but if you have an accident post 12 months, anti tet will be advised. I'm guessing immunity must wane after a period of time and maybe not give optimal cover after the first 12 months - I'm not saying it doesn't offer some protection still but why the anti-tet if you're within the 2 years?
So in my view, what is the point in having it every 2 years when the anti-tet is more expensive than the booster itself.
I now have mine done yearly to avoid this.
I'm not aware of a 3 yearly vaccine, I always had the bi-annual booster, until I discovered this.
I appreciate its a bacteria, not a virus, but I do think we're led to believe lots of things around vaccines where there are huge grey areas!
Edited to add - I'm not with that vet anymore but will check with my current vet to see what they say.
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Just to add, my vets have never done a Tetanus jab after an injury and I've been on a 2 year booster for a while now. That' the RVC.