Annual flu vaccinations?

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Dandyflower

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Do horses need annual flu/tetanus vaccinations all their lives? My horse is 16 and I've had him since he was two. He has had the jabs every year but I no longer compete. He only hacks out and has no contact with horses that meet other horses (we live in very rural Devon!).

He is very frightened of vets so it is all a bit of a trial for both of us as I have to give him oral ACP just so the vet can get near him.

So are annual vaccs necessary? Your opinions would be welcome.

Thank you.
 
You vet is probably best placed to advise but many folk with retired horses who do not leave the yard drop the 'flu vaccination and persist with tetanus only which is every 2 years.

Sorry - just to add... many insurance policies require annual vaccinations as a condition of cover. You might want to check if that is the case for you.
 
We have just stopped 'flu vaccinations for our oldie. The 3 others who all still go out and about have 'flu and tet but she only mixes with them and goes for a few short hacks when she's not too stiff.
 
i continued with my old girls flu and tet as we have horses out competing from our yard and i didnt want to take the risk. i would say the tet is necessary but not the flu..
 
Dandyflower said:
Do horses need annual flu/tetanus vaccinations all their lives? My horse is 16 and I've had him since he was two. He has had the jabs every year but I no longer compete. He only hacks out and has no contact with horses that meet other horses (we live in very rural Devon!).

He is very frightened of vets so it is all a bit of a trial for both of us as I have to give him oral ACP just so the vet can get near him.

So are annual vaccs necessary? Your opinions would be welcome.

Thank you.
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I would keep tetanus up but if horse was no longer competing then I wouldn't do flu. That said if lots of horses on the yard do compete, horse could potentially cat something from them or a horse box they travel in.
 
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We keep the jabs up on the oldies despite not travelling. I wouldn't like them to go down with something that could be avoided. One used to be terrible with injections and the way to do it without hassle (worming too) was a quick blindfold. Injections and worming is then done before he realises and without any trauma to horse or people.
 
I keep all mine jabbed even if an oldie who doesn’t leave the field.

My vet did bring up not jabbing for flu when I started my 26yr old mare again few months ago due to missing her annul jab! I declined though and said I wanted them done. My others go out competing therefore they present a risk to my field kept ponies as could be bringing anything back home with them.
 
I had to restart my oldie's flu this year as it went out of date while she was at horspital for surgery - was the last thing on my mind at the time. The vet mentioned that there had been several cases of flu in the wider area recently. We do depend on herd immunity to avoid a major outbreak, mine are kept at a busy yard so I would hate to be the weak link even though she's now retired.
 
Thank you all for your input.

I do agree with the problem of being the "weak link" but as neither my horse nor the other 3 on the yard compete I feel I could stop the flu vaccs. The others are vaccinated so if any of them was at risk it would be mine.

The blindfold idea is new to me, thanks for that.

I had heard discussion over the need for a tetanus jab every 2 years after a long period of vaccination. I know it is not considered necessary for people to be vaccinated for ever. Any thoughts on that? I know some areas are more risky than others.
 
Sorry, Shay. Meant to say thanks for that but I had already checked and yes, my ins company do have annual vaccs as a condition of cover. Something else to think about!
 
I always had my mare done annually but as she is now 24 and doesn't leave home I have stopped them she has had a tetanus three weeks ago because she has a leg injury and she hadn't had one for three years.
 
Horses are very susceptible to tetanus, most humans aren't grubbing round in the dirt much. Our vet's newsletter says they have horses die that have not been vaccinated against tetanus, so although I do not do flu for my companion pony, she does have tetanus.
 
Just to clarify, my insurers say that they will not cover claims for flu or tetanus if the horse has not been vaccinated against these conditions, which is quite reasonable. Non-vaccination does not invalidate the insurance as a whole.

Thanks for all the helpful replies.
 
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