Old Boy Jabs

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nagseastsussex

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Hi do you still give your old horse his annual jabs? My old YO told me they were unnecessary as once a horse reached his early twenties as he had built up enough antibodies over the years to protect him (she never had her old boys jab after they were 20 saying it was really just a waste of money and lining the vets pockets). My vet on the other hand feels he should still have them (he's now 25). I have him done annually but do not want to overload his ageing body if it really is unnecessary but then do not want to leave him unprotected. What does everyone do with their oldies. :)
 
Is still do as I don't personally do much travelling with mine he is 32 but others go off competing etc so I still want him covered
 
I don't know how true it is about them having built up enough antibodies by that age - I'd want to see some scientific proof of that.

I still vaccinate my old boy. The vaccines have no visible effect on him (i.e. he's exactly the same after being jabbed as he was before) but a bout of tetanus or flu would certainly knock him sideways and I wouldn't risk that.
 
I have just had my boys done, and was toying with the idea of not having the old boy (25) done this time, but he shares his field with my other lad who does go off competing & he shares a water trough with the ponies next door also, so i decided i'd rather keep him protected.

Older people are more susceptible to flu, wouldn't that mean older horses would be too?
 
Most of the oldies at my place just have tetanus protection now, which I would never stop. If they are likely to go out competing they would have flu too. I do the tetanus jabs myself which saves a bit of cash.
 
Bad terrible owner here...I use to but since he retired(24) I dont have any jabs done. He is on his own but has neighbouring horses. However when I find my next horse I may start his tetanus again(pathetic I know). We arent on a yard and we dont go anyway at all.

But I know many people who have never had their horses jabbed. Dogs were the same now mine gets them every year! I know my vet is very pro tetanus etc jabs.

He isnt inusred as they wont but if he got seriously ill PTS. I am bad am I? dont know about antibodies

I bet a lot of humans think their BCG(TB covers them for Life)?????Ur NO!!
 
i was due for a tetanus jab myself earlier this year (i'm 25 and like most people, had them every 10 years). Anyway, the doctor said that once you've had your childhood ones, you dont need them any more as your body has built up enough defence. He said they only give them to people who have 'high risk' jobs or when people are injured by something that potentially puts them at risk.
So if we don't need them, why do horses? And why annually when ours are every decade?! If a horse hurt itself on a rusty nail or something, couldn't you just give it the jab then? Genuinely interested to know. I know we're different species, but still....! :) x
 
itsonlyme said:
i was due for a tetanus jab myself earlier this year (i'm 25 and like most people, had them every 10 years). Anyway, the doctor said that once you've had your childhood ones, you dont need them any more as your body has built up enough defence. He said they only give them to people who have 'high risk' jobs or when people are injured by something that potentially puts them at risk.
So if we don't need them, why do horses? And why annually when ours are every decade?! If a horse hurt itself on a rusty nail or something, couldn't you just give it the jab then? Genuinely interested to know. I know we're different species, but still....! :) x
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Tetanus is every 2 years, flu every year, if you check the vac card you can see which ones include tet
 
Tetanus would kill him, flu to an older horse can be very serious. As he's always had them I personally would carry on, is it worth the risk not to? My old girl got a very serious respiratory infection, despite only hacking out. Asked vet how she caught it, he said she only has to walk through an area where an infected horse has recently passed. You don't have to go out competing to catch infections. Even a horse hacking past your yard can pass it on. The airborne infection area for foot & mouth is 5km. No, that he has had them doesn't mean he is protected for life. These vaccines produce a cover level that is recognised as being effective for 1 or 2 years, not 5 or 10. That's why they are repeated at these intervals. You would probably have reasonable protection for some months longer, but not for life. I vaccinate, & will continue to do so whatever their age. Tetanus is a terrible death.
 
my old boy use to have such a hyper reaction to the tetenus as there were sufficient antibodies in his system, he would swell at the injection site and if in the neck could not feed and an increase in temperture, so we stopped doing tet at the age of about 25. the flu is a different kettle of fish as this will change seasonly, so each year there will be a particular strain around compared to the year before it is sometimes advised to vacinate twice for flu.
 
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