Flu and tet jabs, important??

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3707rachela

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I don't know whether it's best for this to be here or in the vet section, but I just wondered what people's views were on the importance of flu and tet jabs for horses? I have always kept ours up to date but I was surprised by how many people at a friends yard don't bother! How important do you think it is??
 
I think it is very important.

I viewed a horse last week and when we asked her if he's ever had jabs, she said no there's no need because she doesn't take him out places in the truck. His ex owner did though! Also she regularly has the odd livery come in temporarily and she rides other people's horses. I think it's a very bad idea.

The horse we are buying (from a friend) has also lapsed on his jabs, because money was tight and they decided because it's their yard it's ok. The problem is, they also have 5 liveries in and they do box off places!

I think it is v important to have them!
 
tet absolutley as any horse can get it and its nearly always fatal I do know of one horse that contracted this after a small cut she was not vacs agaist it. flu less important it more of an economic factor as it spreads like wild fire (as it did in aus last year) but is not often fatal and a horse which goes no where and never comes in to contact with new horses is very unlikley to get it. but a vactinated horse can still get flu its just not as bad. so tetnus deffinatly. flu if on big yard and or competing/hacking lots then yes.
 
Both very important - the others on your yard who don't vaccinate could end up very sorry they hadn't
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Tetanus is important - and cheap. Flu vaccine I only ever bother when I have something competing and likely to have to be stabled overnight somewhere that requires horses to be jabbed.
T.B.H. I have heard (from a reliable veterinary source) that the flu jab is not that effective anyway as flu is a mutating virus - and there was me thinking you couldn't vaccinate against a virus full stop......
 
What the vet injects in these instances is a short term 'boos't. It will not give any long-term protection. At any time your horse could get a small prick you don't see and get tetanus, by then it will be too late.

Tetanus I feel is an absolute, no two ways about it. Fluu depends on how many/what other horses yours come into contact with.
 
Tetnus only needs doing every 3-5 years really. Unless you are competing and the rules insist otherwise. I have my own horses done with flu every year and flu / tetnus every 3 years or so. My loan horse only gets tet jabs as his owner thinks that there are so many strains of flu that you can never protect against it so we don't do that horse.
 
My old mare is 35 & I asked my vet whether it was worth keeping her vaccinations up to date. I know that people now don't need boosters if they've had 5, & was wondering if it was similar with horses. The vet said that if you'd ever seen a horse with tet, then you def wouldn't consider not vaccinating cos apparently it's awful.
 
tetanus is fatal and so easily preventable. my horse has never needed a tetanus anti-toxin (which is very short-lived protection anyway) and he could easily get a little puncture wound and tetanus could get in as it lives in the soil. if you'd ever seen a horse with it then you definitey wouldn't consider not vaccinating against it.
 
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