Only 40% vaccinated against flu

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Rollin

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I am shocked to read the NEWS item and presentation from Animal Health Trust, with regard to the low level of vaccination in the UK.

When we compete in France in endurance ALL passports are checked, a lapsed vaccine means a horse cannot compete and a fine of 90 euros.

At all our SJ events a list of horses is posted on the board and all passports for these horses are subjected to inspection.

Covering Certificates are issued by the National Stud (now IFCE) I cannot obtain one if the stallion is not vaccinated and swabbed. No stud I know of would accept a mare not vaccinated and swabbed.

It is illegal to transport an un vaccinated horse, the police can and do stop drivers and check paperwork.

All labs require the horses SIRE number (registration on National Equine Database) before processing blood, swabs. Positive viral notifications are sent out all over France together with location.

Why can't the UK do more for bio-security?
 
What? That's a bit mad; you have to have up to date vaccs to compete here too, they are very strict (Ireland, all disciplines).
 
The big difference is that horses are not classed agricultural animals over here, unlike in Ireland and France where I think they are, so other than the supposed passport requirement and the rules of society where people do compete there is nothing to say horses need to be vaccinated for flu and no one to police it.

BE/BD may do checks and horses should be vaccinated in order to compete/ be registered, every racecourse is very careful and so are some of the agricultural shows/ HOYS etc but I suspect that the majority of horses over here are kept purely for pleasure riding plus the huge population of feral horses, some breeding uncontrollably, which probably make up 50% if not more of the overall population so 40% unvaccinated would not surprise me.
 
Are the same vaccines in use in other countries to UK?
There have been some very bad reactions to the vaccine here, or most probably the carrier medium. Some breeds in particular seem to have reactions.
Vets will quite often do risk assessments of whether an individual animal needs a flu jab or not.
Why this is the case I doubt if anyone knows for sure - could be the care regime, the type of grazing, breed susceptibility, stress in the way they are managed whatever, underlying medical conditions. Not all animals who are unvaccinated for flu are un-cared for.
 
I breed and compete show jumpers. Have between 20 and 25 horses all the time. Every horse is vaccinated from 5 months of age. The international horses are vaccinated every 6 months as per FEI rules. In over 40 years I have never had one react.

The low level of uptake actually compromises the health of my horses.
 
respectedpony said:
Put poison into my horse,I don't think so,and tetanus last 10 years,it is only another money making scheme.
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Are there any studies to back this up? I only ask as I knew a horse that was late with tetanus that got it and was PTS.

I don't vaccinate for flu, mine don't mix or compete. I would always vaccinate for tetanus though because of the reason above.
 
meleeka said:
Are there any studies to back this up? I only ask as I knew a horse that was late with tetanus that got it and was PTS.

I don't vaccinate for flu, mine don't mix or compete. I would always vaccinate for tetanus though because of the reason above.
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I think sometimes you are just unlucky with tetanus of the 2 I know of that died of it the first had it once despite being vaccinated regularly and died the second time she contracted it, the second was a mare I had sold that was definitely vaccinated, had been given a further booster while with me as she had a very deep cut that wouldn't heal and still contracted it and died about 12 months after I sold her, I think both were just unlucky as they were genuinely covered and had been in the same homes from a very young age so no break in vaccinating.

Mine are all done every 2 years which is what my vets recommend, flu annually,
 
I'm not surprised. Of the last two horses that I've bought neither had been vaccinated and one had been regularly competing BS. Other than when I've competed BE I've never had my passports checked either, although I do keep them up to date.
 
sport horse said:
In over 40 years I have never had one react.

The low level of uptake actually compromises the health of my horses.
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Both my current horse and the horse in the stable opposite were really under the weather the day after their jabs. My last horse reacted every year, getting progressively worse to the point he had a really swollen, stiff neck, couldn't eat and drink and was rough for a week. I think jabs or not jabbing are both crummy options,like the Trump/ Clinton issue. Is it possible you've just not noticed horses feeling not too good?
 
meleeka said:
I don't vaccinate for flu, mine don't mix or compete. I would always vaccinate for tetanus though because of the reason above.
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No, I never vaccinated for flu - strains change annually so unless it's a targeted vaccination it's a complete waste of money.
 
All my horses are vaccinated, whether or not they compete, my 36 year old was vaccinated until the end. Personally I have never had a horse react to a vaccine. Flu and tet are in a combined vaccine which is given every year here in France. If it is un-necessary one wonders why AHT are highlighting the problem. AHT arrived at their conclusion by comparing the estimated number of horses in the UK with number of vaccines sold.
 
Rollin said:
Flu and tet are in a combined vaccine which is given every year here in France. If it is un-necessary one wonders why AHT are highlighting the problem. AHT arrived at their conclusion by comparing the estimated number of horses in the UK with number of vaccines sold.
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Tetanus is usually every two years here in UK, so the combined is given every other year. Sometimes the two are given apart, particularly when a horse has had a reaction. As long as the vaccination dates are within the rules then this works fine though it does mean 2 vet visits obviously. Many more horses receive tetanus vaccs alone.

The AHT concerns are about herd immunity I think.
 
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I not at all surprised at that figure when you consider the number of horses in this country kept in one place who never go anywhere, as companions, retired, or stay at home hackers.

Fifty percent of my herd of four is not vaccinated for flu. The latest arrival came from a herd of nine miniatures who never left the farm, none of them vaccinated for flu.

I have had a very serious reaction in one horse to a Prevac jab. He tied up from head to foot, was unable to eat for twelve hours, was drooling, beginning to hyperventilate and had a raised pulse.

My minis go nowhere and do nothing. They're fit and healthy. They are extremely unlikely to catch flu - the big boys who travel are vaccinated - , and if they do they are unlikely to come to much harm from it. As in humans, it mostly does damage to the very young, the very old and the weak.

If I was in a livery yard, it would be different. But I see no point at all in flu jabs for my girls.
 
I amnot sure about either the safety, or the efficacy, of many vaccinations myself. I contracted a serious illness after being vaccinated against it, I used to know a young man with severe, complex learning disabilities and physical disability which was a result of vaccination.
We vaccinate against tetanus because the potential outcome of the disease is worse than the potential side effects, we don't vaccinate against flu because it seems pointless. The potential harm of the condition is less than the potential harm caused by the vaccine ( i have had horses react badly in the past), we don't know which strain we should vaccinate against in a particular year and tbh, the last time I vaccinated against flu was the year my vet told me that current advice was that the vacc only lasted 6 months. It seems rather more of a money making scheme than a health driven initiative.
 
amymay said:
No, I never vaccinated for flu - strains change annually so unless it's a targeted vaccination it's a complete waste of money.
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I am very anti over vaccinating in general and therefore for my dogs I dont. Mine ever need to go into kennels so its not an issue other than some vets giving me the hard sell. Sadly the horse has to be vaccinated to be on some livery yards and to compete so I suck it up and have it done even if it makes my blood boil. What can you do though? :(
 
respectedpony said:
Put poison into my horse,I don't think so,and tetanus last 10 years,it is only another money making scheme.
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Every vaccination is like that are you one of these people who thinks you don't need to vaccinate for meningitis too?

Tetanus should actually be redone again even on people if you cut yourself on something metal. No one does though usually.

I vaccinate for both for me and the horse. They can only guess which strains may affect us the most that year but it's a better guess than mine in not getting it so I figure why not. Plus my company pays for it so that's a bonus.
 
My grandmother has 4 horses. 3x 20+yo's that have never been vaccinated in their lives and a 14yo tb who had annual vacs since he was a yearling.

All 4 live together. Which one got flu?!

Racehorses have to be vaccinated regardless to go anywhere near a racecourse but racehorse sales horses don't have to be. That makes so much sense...
 
Tetanus should actually be redone again even on people if you cut yourself on something metal. No one does though usually.
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I have been refused additional jabs twice on the grounds that they now know that 5 gives lifetime immunity

They also know through trials that levels for horses are still good at five years, and some vet practices recommend tet every three years, which is what my tinies will be getting.
 
amymay said:
No, I never vaccinated for flu - strains change annually so unless it's a targeted vaccination it's a complete waste of money.
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rowan666 said:
Exactly why I don't bother for either my horses or myself and kids
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ermm you do know that the strain used to vaccinate changes fairly frequently too? This years human flu vaccine contains a completely different strain in addition to last years strains (a 2008 and 2009 strain fwiw)- A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 specifically. Yes it is still a bit of a best guess but they don't just keep churning out the same thing year after year and crossing their fingers!

I agree with ycbm, given the number of horses dossing in fields not doing a lot I am not surprised. Our tet has also moved to every 3 years.

I would also argue that vaccination is not some great conspiracy to make money, I would much rather live in a world with vaccination than without.
 
ester said:
I would also argue that vaccination is not some great conspiracy to make money, I would much rather live in a world with vaccination than without.
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So why are dogs vaccinated every year when the guidelines are every 3yrs? Why are horses done every year? Why are vets not titre testing or at least suggesting it?
 
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