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Judy Marteniuk, DVM [Back to Article List]
Michigan State University
When designing a vaccination schedule for your farm, it is important to take in to
account some important issues. First, what diseases are prevalent in your area of
the country? If the disease is not prevalent, you may not need to vaccinate. It is
not only an issue of cost, but also potential side effects of the vaccine or injection.
Remember that every medication has potential side effects! Never use a
product unless the benefits out weigh the risks of an adverse reaction! Also,
consider the severity of the disease: is it fatal or does it just limit the use of the
donkey for a period of time, such as Strangles? Most of our donkeys are more of a
companion to us or other equids and “down-time” is not as critical as it would be for
a racing individual. Another concern is the disease a problem – year round or
seasonal? If the disease is seasonal, how long is the immunity provided by the
vaccine? This will determine the optimum time of year to vaccinate, thus providing
maximal protection during the high-risk times of the year. Eastern and Western
Encephalomyelitis (EEE and WEE) are good examples of a seasonal disease with
a vaccine that doesn’t provide good protection for a full year. There are certain
vaccines that all equids require regardless of where you live in N. America. EEE,
WEE, WNV (West Nile Encephalomyelitis), and Tetanus are the ones that kill and
occur regardless of where you equid lives. Rabies is another disease that may be
on the definitely do list in certain parts of the country. A final consideration is
economics. If the vaccine is expensive, isn’t routinely fatal, has side effects, and
my animal is at a low risk of contracting the disease, vaccination may not be
warranted.
In general, an initial series of injections is required when dealing with an individual
with no or unknown vaccination history. This could be a foal that is just starting its
vaccinations or a recently purchased horse of unknown vaccination history. If the
foal received adequate colostrums, foal vaccinations are usually started at about 5
– 6 months of age; however, if the foal was a failure of passive transfer,
vaccinations should start in the second to third month of life. Vaccinations of a
horse of unknown status may be started immediately. A booster is required
approximately one month after the initial injection. After the booster, a routine
schedule is followed, depending upon the specific vaccine administered (see
Table). Although a number of the vaccinations can be combined into one injection,
the number of injections given may become excessive if many or all the above
vaccinations are given to one horse. To minimize the discomfort and possibility of
the horse experiencing a very severe reaction, the number of injections given at
one time should be limited to two or three. If more injections need to be given, wait
a week and administer the remaining injections.
The majority of injections are given intramuscularly, however not all. Read the
directions for use carefully! To reduce the risk of an injection reaction, proper
injection sites should be used. If you are administering injections to your equid, be
familiar with these sites. The most commonly used sites are the neck, the butt
(gluteal muscles), and the hindquarters (semi-membranosis/tendinosis). Never
use the neck in a nursing foal! If the neck becomes sore, the foal may refuse to
nurse. If you have questions about the proper techniques involved in giving
intramuscular injections, consult your veterinarian.
There are several sources of vaccines (your veterinarian, feed or tack stores,
catalogs, etc.), but the only vaccines supported by the manufacturers are those that
are administered or supervised by your veterinarian. Therefore, both the design
and source of your farm's vaccination program should be determined thorough
consultation with your veterinarian.
Also, remember that vaccination is but one component of a complete health care
program for your horse or farm. Vaccinating your horse for every thing, but
neglecting the deworming program, diet, or environment of the horse is counterproductive.
Consult with your veterinarian to develop a complete program for your
farm.
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