Horses vaccinated without owners knowledge or permission

[Bedford Joy]

My friend had a text yesterday from her YO to say her horses had all been vaccinated for EHV. She was not told that it was going to happen it was completely out of the blue, all the horses on the yard were done. She's a happy hacker and hardly rides at all at the moment due to work, horses are on full livery except are not ridden.

It will cost her £30 per horse (3 horses) and the course is 3 jabs over 6 months so a total of £270.00!

Can the YO do this and what would you do if this happened to you?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It also needs put in the horses passport. Does she keep them at the yard or at home?

 

[Bedford Joy]

They are kept at the yard ...

 

[Goldenstar]

Well I would be displeased and can think of no good reason why it was not done with prior arrangement .
I have two horses who are made unwell by this vaccine but had them done last night as its the responsible thing to do ATM.
If had been the YO I would have said all horses are to be vaccinated on X if you don't want to do it please arrange to leave ASAP.
If I where you friend I would ask why no prior warning was given but really the YO is doing the best thing in the current circunmtances .

 

[Foxhunter49]

Considering that the EHV jabs are not effective on EHV ! it seems a waste of money. I would certainly not be pleased if I were in her shoes.

 

[Goldenstar]

Considering that the EHV jabs are not effective on EHV ! it seems a waste of money. I would certainly not be pleased if I were in her shoes.

That's not what the vet told me yesterday it reduces the severity in most cases and helps to prevent horses shedding live virus.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

For a non notifiable disease I think that is unreasonable. Especially as it only protects against certain strains.

What if they had done the same with the strangles vaccine when that originally came out, it made some horses very ill. It is not something that should be done without a lot of discussing and the premises being high risk for specific reasons eg polo ponies who are in physical contact a lot, stud, perhaps competition centre.

I think it is high handed and an overreaction since most horses carry and always have done, EHV in their systems.

 

[Goldenstar]

While I agree that this YO has not gone about this the right way if I where a YO with horses going to shows I would be insisting on it .

 

[Spring Feather]

Not acceptable in my opinion. Not at all!

I do have all broodmares here routinely vaccinated a month prior to foaling and I tell their owners afterwards however all my long term breeding clients know that this will happen every year and it's discussed right at the beginning of them moving their horses here. Many of the mares have lived here for years and their owners are diligent breeders so expect me to do whatever needs doing for their mares and foals.

 

[AmyMay]

I'd be furious and refusing to pay.

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

What if the vaccine became useless after the strains it 'does' cover become resistant to it? Same as wormers, overkill is just as bad as underkill.. I would have thought it would have best to treat only if you have confirmed cases very close to home.

 

[Goldenstar]

What if the vaccine became useless after the strains it 'does' cover become resistant to it? Same as wormers, overkill is just as bad as underkill.. I would have thought it would have best to treat only if you have confirmed cases very close to home.

Thats your choice I choose to consult an equine vet and take advice , it's a virus vaccine not a drug to kill parasites , you should not vaccinate if there is an outbreak close to you as you you can mask the symptoms in infected horses so I choose to top up all my horses immunity by vaccinating now just as they start going out and about and coming into contact with people and horses from other areas.

 

[Honey08]

I'd be furious and refusing to pay.

Absolutely, me too.

 

[lauraandjack]

What if the vaccine became useless after the strains it 'does' cover become resistant to it? Same as wormers, overkill is just as bad as underkill.. I would have thought it would have best to treat only if you have confirmed cases very close to home.

Vaccines do not work like wormers/antibiotics so there is no risk of the virus becoming "resistant" to them.

Some viruses e.g. 'flu viruses evolve and change over time making vaccines less effective but this is not the same mechanism as antibiotic/wormer resistance.

 

[Patterdale]

Agree with amymay and honey.

Would go nuts, and wouldn't pay.

It's not even an effective vaccine, we used to use it until advised to stop by vet.

 

[Delicious_D]

How dare the YO! The cheek! I would be fuming had anyone vaccinated dee without my prior knowledge!

 

[Nari]

I'd be furious and refusing to pay.

This. I'd also be making it very clear that if my horses had any side effects from the jab that needed vet treatment the YO would be picking up the bill for that too.

I wonder if the vet was aware they were vaccinationg without the owner's permission?

 

[Fjord]

I'd be livid!

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

Considering my old horse developed a severe heart condition post flu vaccine and it ended his career I would be livid!!!! Infact I would refuse to pay would take it further if my horses were sick, how dare she, what sort of arrogant person takes decisions like that about an animal they don't own! Am gobsmacked!

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-equine-herpes-virus-ehv.htm

Extracted from article: Some career horses are vaccinated as often as every 3-4 months. There is some suspicion that this frequent vaccination program is contributing to the mutation of the neurological and more virulent strains of EHV. Although vaccines do not completely protect against the infection, they do reduce the level of virus shed by a symptomatic horse.

 

[Goldenstar]

"Some suspicion" not a scientific term i have heard very often what do they mean by that , not a reason to cut the chance of shedding live virus IMO.

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

It's like most things, they tell you somethings good for you, then some time later tell you, actually, it's not so good for you after all.

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't think that's so the pros and cons of vaccination are well know.
In this case this vaccine is known to reduce the rate of infection by preventing or drastically reducing the amount of live virus infected horses shed .
Therefore if I had horses here ATM who did not belong to me I would be saying vaccinate or go elsewhere however I can see no good reason for the YO in OP's example to behave as they have its clearly the wrong way to go about it.
I have always vaccinated agaisnst this since we had mares except I let two who where ill after it last year miss their next booster however they both had an antinflammatory as well yesterday and look fine today.
Let's hope it peters out quickly and does not ruin the summer it's enough trouble to deal with the weather.

 

[nosenseofdirection]

I too would be fuming and refusing to pay. Telephones were invented some while back, there is no excuse for not contacting the owner, it is hardly an unforeseen emergency, it could wait a few days while consent was sought!

 

[ihatework]

Irrespective of the pros / cons of the vaccination in question the YO had absolutely no right to instruct a vet to perform a non-essential medical intervention without the owners permission. I would be livid.

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Of course it's wrong to do something like that without the owners consent, I was just stating it's pointless doing it when your horse isn't at risk anyway?

 

[Leg_end]

I would be absolutely raging and wouldn't pay at all. Absolutely disgusting behaviour.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

The YO has every right to insist that all the horses on their yard are vaccinated and to give notice to anyone who doesn't want to comply.

The YO has no right at all to have the horses on the yard vaccinated without the owner's consent.

The Vet should not have vaccinated any horse without the owner's permission.



The owner of the horses not only needs to explain that they are not happy to the YO (even if they want the horses vaccinated, permission should have been obtained) and they also need to inform the Vet that they did not have permission to vaccinate the horses.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I would be creating wholly hell with the vet and telling him in no uncertain terms that I was refusing to pay and would hold him 100% responsible for any issues - as to the YO - what a cheeky cow ! no way would I leave my horses with this person - whats to stop her having all sorts of treatment to your horses - I am livid on your behalf

 

[horsesatemymoney]

I think the vets to blame to. Surely they'd have had the passports and noticed yo isn't owner?
Please can somebody explain what the illness is, and offs vaccination worth it ( sorry to hi jack op)