MAYES & SCRINE

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Contact

Dawes Farm, Bognor Road,
Warnham, Horsham,
Sussex RH12 3SH

Tel: 01306 628222
Fax: 01306 628379

office@equinevetpractice.co.uk
info@equinevetpractice.co.uk

Horse Vaccination

The majority of you vaccinate your horse or pony. Here’s a few pointers:

• Equine Influenza vaccine is a requirement of many competitive organisations e.g. BSJA, British Eventing, Showing, Jockey Club. Also it’s a requirement at certain levels e.g. area Pony Club and Riding Club competitions. Many livery yards and riding establishments require it as well.
• The “Jockey Club” rules are followed by these competitive organizations. A primary course consists of two jabs 3 weeks to 3 months apart (21 to 90 days) and a third jab 5 to 7 months later (150 to 215 days). Then an annual booster, which must be done in under a year (even one day over is “out of date”).
• FEI rules for international competition, including certain levels of eventing and showjumping in the UK, require ‘flu boosters every 6 months (14 days either side).
• Influenza vaccine is regularly updated with new strains.
• Tetanus vaccination can be done separately or combined with ‘flu. After a primary course it only needs boosting every couple of years. Tetanus antitoxin provides short term cover from tetanus (it is an antiserum, not a vaccine) and can be given to unvaccinated injured horses, foals or colts when they are castrated.

  It is now common practice to give a tetanus vaccine rather than the antiserum when a horse is at increased risk of tetanus.  This has been common practice in human medicine for a long time, but has only recently been recommended in horses.

• Equine Herpes Virus (type 1 and 4) vaccine provides protection against these common respiratory viruses that can also cause abortion and, rarely, a paralytic disease. It is unclear how much protection vaccine provides against paralysis, but it is assumed there is some. EHV1,4 vaccine requires 6 monthly boosters.

  At least 70% of the yard must be vaccinated for this vaccine to be effective at preventing disease. Some of our yards, particularly the larger ones, require EHV vaccination.

• Strangles vaccine, which was available fairly recently, has been withdrawn. The vaccine is given in the lip and can cause local reaction and often makes the horse or pony “off colour” for a few days. It can reactivate field strains of Strep equi, causing Strangles, in carriers (up to 10% of horses). Reactivated field strains are contagious. To provide any protection, at least 70% of the yard must be vaccinated and boosters must be given every 6 months (3 months if high risk).
• Most of our clients vaccinate for ‘flu and tetanus. Many livery yards require this level of cover. Larger yards require EHV vaccination and some require Strangles vaccination (although none where we are the “yard vet”.

Horse Teeth

The majority of you have your horse’s teeth rasped. At least occasional tooth rasping is important for the welfare of horse and ponies. Regular rasping, either 6 months or annual, is important for optimal performance e.g. dressage or jumping and may be necessary if the horse or pony’s teeth have even mild abnormalities. We often rasp or check your horse or pony’s teeth at annual vaccination. Or we attend the yard to rasp several at a time. All our vets are experience dental practitioners and have attended courses on dentistry. We can also use the opportunity to discuss diet, management and other health issues you may have. We pride ourselves that we rasp the teeth of over 50% of our patients and our prices are competitive.

Many of you use Equine Dental Technicians to rasp teeth. Many of these are very competent and qualified. There is currently a scheme in the UK to register EDT. It is planned that they will eventually all be trained, examined and regulated within their own organisation. We work with at least 10 EDTs locally e.g. for sedation. It is likely in the future that we will only be able to work with UK registered EDTs. If you are concerned about credentials, it would be a good idea to ask your EDT about their insurance (sadly accidents do happen to all of us). Cooperation between EDTs and vets should always be in the best interests of the patient – differences of opinion on over-rasping and under-rasping are just that!

Sweet Itch tips

Sweet itch is considered, along with laminitis, one of the major preventable welfare issues facing our equine population. The use of Boett rugs, copious applicants such as Switch, diluted benzyl benzoate, Avon SSS etc (although beware toxicity with some of these) and careful management is essential. In farm yards with standing water in underground old slurry tanks, drains or under stables, please be aware that Sweet Itch can be an all year round problem. The Sweet Itch vaccine trials have been very successful amongst ponies in our practice this year -see www.sweet-itch.co.uk.