Herpes vaccine

[racebuddy]

Just wandering what’s everyones thoughts on getting vaccinated agaienst the resp form of herpes for horses

some vets are advising for and some agaienst

unsure what to do

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I guess it's a risk decision.

Are you travelling regularly and at risk of being in contact with lots of different horses?

Do you have suitable infection control for horses coming on to your yard?

What are the risks associated with the vaccine?

I don't believe there is a vaccine for the currently circulating neurological version of EHV so even if you vaccinated against this strain, you wouldn't be completely protected. (I hope someone can correct me on this and there is a vaccine, my horse lives on a busy yard with lots of competitions coming up and while we don't compete, I'd be looking more closely at my options for vaccination)

ETA: I think you're right to be discussing it with your vet, their advice is probably better than mine

 

[Quadro]

My vet advised against it.
The advice I was given it adhere to usual biosecurity measure, and to keep my broodmare as far away physically from the competition horses. Also to completely change clothes etc before handling her. I can't vaccinate her as she is too far into her pregnancy

 

[ihatework]

The 5yo who is on a pro event yard has just been done alongside every other horses there.

The babies who are in a closed herd haven’t been done. But will be when start competing or breeding

 

[Birker2020]

Vacinations won't prevent EHV but it will reduce the risk. It will also reduce the severity. The aim of vaccination is to reduce viral shedding. One in three horses carry the virus but it is latent. They will shed it under times of stress. Recommendations are that pregnant mares are vaccinated at 6 and 9 months of pregnancy. All horses on a yard with pregnant mares should be vaccinated against it.

A previous horse was wrongly diagnosed with it after he displayed ataxic symptoms. The vet got carried away and boasted of writing her thesis about discovering the first case in the Midlands (this after she clapped her hands in glee). He and the rest of the yard were tested from memory it was two nasal swabs I think at a cost of £20 per horse per swab. He and two others were tested positive as carriers, one was stabled in another part of the yard, and the other one in the stable next door but one. I think they could tell the difference between a horse being a carrier and possible shredder and a horse that was actively suffering from it by the results they got. Sorry to be vague - 2004.

It turned out that the ataxia was related to Wobblers and nothing to do with EHV but whilst it was a possibility I learnt as much as I could about it.

 

[sport horse]

You may not have a choice as the vaccine is pretty unavailable at the moment and is being reserved for in foal mares.

 

[Abi90]

You may not have a choice as the vaccine is pretty unavailable at the moment and is being reserved for in foal mares.

Oh gosh. My mare is in foal and didn’t even think about availability! She’s due her third jab next week