where do u stand re vaccines?

grandmaweloveyou

grandmaweloveyou

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I somehow missed the annual jab last year and have started again with the 3 jabs....but: some friends think it's just a money making idea and ott and that unless I will be competing in anything affiliated, stick with the 1?

1 friend only jabs every other year (ex equine vet nurse so I don't question anything she says)

Your thoughts please.

Thanks.
 
I always have and always will vaccinate for Tetanus and Flu.

I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to my pony that i could have prevented for the sake of about £60. I don't compete or really go anywhere. xx
 
If your horse mixes with others and doesn't have a health reason not to have the jabs you should have them done. Absolutely re tetanus for all horses, no excuses. Flu a few horses have reactions to (including one of mine) which mean they cant have ut but apart from that it is just as easy to get them done and protected IMO since half the time you are having to have the tetanus done anyway which is absolutely not a money making scam it is essential for all horses.
 
how far did you miss it by?

it is worth speaking to your vet and saying you dont need them up to date for competition, so is it really neccessary to start all over again?

my vets happy to vacc every 18 months if you dont compete
 
It is an owner's responsibility to ensure their horse is vaccinated within 365 days, whether their vet practice sends out reminders or not.
 
I missed last year by 8 days. Vet just gave booster and told me he was covered but couldn't go anywhere vacs needed. Not a problem for me. Now jabbed in plenty of time, so we can mix with others again.

I do wonder if we over vaccinate. USA vaccinate dogs much less frequently than we do, I can't comment about equines.
 
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Afaik, over vaccinating will not cause any problems (not like over worming or things like that).

It's up to you - my old pony ended up either missing a jab or a recording (not sure which!) prior to me getting him - I never restarted him properly (he still had the annual boosters, just not the more regular restarting course!) because, as far as my vet was concerned, he was still protected. It would have made it a pain if we'd wanted to do RC teams, affiliated competitions etc,
 
If it is now 2 years since his last vaccine having missed last year then he definitely won't be covered for flu. If not competing then its generally accepted that it should be ok to be 6-8wks over.
 
Glenruby, we are not 2 years since our last 1. He has since had his 1st jab (part of 3) within 2 years, I just received conflicting opinions on continuing the course of 3.
 
On the advice of the RVC, tetanus can drop to 2 yearly after a certain number of consecutive years vaccinated so depending on your horses history you might be OK with that one.

The flu they said did need to be yearly so you would have to do the full course.

Having said that alot of vets carry the combined vaccine so they do both as routine.
 
Yes, but it has been just recently done - long after it was due if I am understanding you correctly in which case a booster is unlikely to provide sufficient cover. Add to that, just like human flu, equine flu strains and vaccine strains change over the years so there is no cumulative effect from vaccines so important to keep upto date fully.
 
Ditto Glenruby, the vaccine companies are constantly updating their Vaccines to try to keep up with mutating strains, I want to compete my two so keep up to date, but we recently had a flu outbreak in the next county, and it was surprising how many people suddenly got their horses inocculated.
 
Another thing to consider is insurance, most policies in the small print say the horse should have up todate vaccinations and yearly dental checks, never known anyone to have a claim refused because they hadn't, but wouldnt suprise me if someone somewhere has!
 
Mine's being vaccinated in a couple of weeks (for flu), I restarted him when I bought him, and make sure he's done every year (so he's indate). I know that the riding school horses (on a RS/livery yard) haven't been done in ages (thats what the YO told me anyway).
 
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