Equine Herpes Virus- Vaccinations

[Paint it Lucky]

Just a quick Q!

Had my vet out the other day for horses routine flu and tet jabs and she mentioned the EHV vaccine. I take one of my horses out competing reasonably regularly mainly to local unnaffiliated comps, in my own trailer, he has never stayed away and doesn't have physical contact with any unknown horses whilst at shows, do you think there is much risk of him getting the virus? Have worked with/had horses along time and never seen any with this virus so have never really considered it much of a risk but of course I could be wrong! So just wondering do you think it is nessecary to vaccinate against this for a horse who competes? None of the other horses on the yard really go out anywhere so mine would get the blame if anything did get brought back!

 

[TART]

In the process of having my 'hopeful yummy mummy' vacinated as we are on a large yard until she foals - have never had her jabbed for it before and we competed a lot and never had a problem - but apparently it can make an in-foal mare abort so it was a deffinate for us this time !!!

 

[muff747]

My gelding did suffer from this virus in his early years. He was not tested but my vet was pretty sure he had suffered from it when he was unwell for a period of time.
I was advised to have him vaccinated at 6 monthly intervals because although he had recovered, he would continue to be a carrier and would be a threat to mares in foal and youngsters.
Some viruses, like human 'flu is air bourn so you may not realise your horse is at risk when travelling to events.
Maybe your vet could tell you what the risks are of not vaccinating.

 

[Birker2020]

Just a quick Q!

So just wondering do you think it is nessecary to vaccinate against this for a horse who competes? None of the other horses on the yard really go out anywhere so mine would get the blame if anything did get brought back!

I had my previous horse (a 10 yr old gelding) incorrectly diagnosed with this condition (he actually had wobblers). It delayed treatment with my horse, and cost money to other liveries as they all had to be swabbed. Apparently 33% of the horse population carries the EHV virus but only certain horses shred the virus, when they become stressed for various reasons. It is a life threatening condition but from what I could gather at the time was relatively rare.

I think if you had a stud farm it would certainly be worth vacinating the mares against it as EHV1 can cause abortion as well as respiratory infection and ataxia which will lead to recumbency. I was advised to give my horse the EHV vacinnation at the time of his 'diagnosis' as I intended to continue competing him as I had been, but like I say, he was incorrectly diagnosed, at was PTS a couple of weeks later when the correct diagnosis of late onset wobblers was made (symptoms of EHV and wobblers are similar in that they both present as ataxia). I have competed five different horses at different ages and at different venues (low level riding club type comps) over a period of 16 years and have never had a horse contract EHV or even know of any that have ever contracted it.

Having seen the damage the strangles vacinnation did to a horse in a yard full of otherwise healthy horses I would never have the strangles vacination either. In my opinion (I'm not a vet) I would leave well alone.