Share this resource with your clients!

Even with excellent injection technique and proper handling of vaccines, transient side effects—muscle soreness, fever, malaise, or an uncommon post-injection abscess—can occur. Transient adverse reactions are usually a consequence of a horse’s immune response to an antigen (protein) or from reaction to the adjuvant (carrier agent) in individual vaccines; some vaccine products cause more reactions than others.

Adverse post-vaccination signs usually resolve within 48-72 hours. Your veterinarian has knowledge of which manufacturers produce vaccines with the least likelihood of adverse reactions.

If your horse develops a minor adverse reaction following immunization, advise your veterinarian in advance of the next booster. She or he might select another product made by a different manufacturer and/or the horse might be pre-medicated with NSAIDs (phenylbutazone or flunixin) prior to immunization.

For some sensitive horses, the various vaccines can be separated into individual shots or they can be given at different times rather than immunizing with multiple vaccine products all at one vet visit.

Another important reason for having your veterinarian involved with your immunization program has to do with insurance. If your horse is insured and you administer any medications, including vaccines that induce a health problem or a life-threatening or fatal anaphylactic reaction, the insurance company might not honor your insurance claim.

The Bottom Line
Veterinarians and horse owners are fortunate that so many effective vaccines are available to combat a large number of infectious viral and bacterial diseases that could otherwise decimate the horse population. Most equine immunizations are relatively low in price, especially when compared to the cost of treating an infection or losing a horse to a fatal infectious disease.

Discuss an appropriate vaccination program with your veterinarian and set up an immunization frequency that works for your particular situation. Prevention through immunization is a far better cost saving strategy than not vaccinating. It also confers excellent health advantages for your horse, providing a higher quality of life and potentially extending the life of your beloved horse.

Why get your vet involved in immunizations?
Having your veterinarian involved in your horse’s immunizations helps to ensure that:

• The vaccine is sourced from a reputable outlet
• You have access to veterinary counsel or help in the event of an adverse reaction, which is not offered by online pharmacies
• The vaccine is not outdated
• The vaccine has been handled properly and kept at proper temperatures during multiple transfers from manufacturer to distributor to the veterinarian’s office to your horse
• The choice of vaccines is the most appropriate for your unique geographic location and competition pursuits
• When your veterinarian administers immunizations, she/he also checks for anything off kilter with your horse through a visual and physical exam, which helps to identify subtle and not-so-subtle health problems