zansbeunogal_2268 - 2014-04-04 8:49 AM The inlaws have pmu, and they were told it was an option to vaccinate for rhino, they have been doing it for the past 20 years and they never vaccinated because it saves them around 60 grand. well rhino somehow got into the barn. 106 mares were tied in and 92 aborted and they lost 5 mares. It was absolutly devistating!!!! They also kept some back up mares outside but they got it as well and all but 9 aborted, the mares that did foal, some had some birth defects!

FirstFirewater - 2014-04-03 6:11 PM   I'm really kind of worried about traveling around some of you folks who never vaccinate... I don't mean to sound rude, but do you ever worry about contaminating others horses or yours getting something that may have been prevented? I'm just curious I respect that everyone is different and has other views I'm just trying to understand :)

CYA Ranch - 2014-04-04 9:10 AM


Omgosh!  How horrible for them.  So they had been giving these mares yearly shots and didn't do it ONE time and they all got it? 

zansbeunogal_2268 - 2014-04-04 9:19 AM yupp!! they were giving it to them yearly for 20 years and the big boss's said it was an option if they wanted to vaccinate for it last year. so they never, we still arnt sure how the mares caught it. The mares are seperate from all the rest of the horses, and any horses that leave the yead and come back we Quarantine them for 2 weeks.

Three 4 Luck - 2014-04-04 9:17 AM  If your horses are vaxed, why are you worried?  

barrelracr131 - 2014-04-04 9:38 AM Vaccines statistically help prevent a human or animal from contracting a disease, and they lessen the severity of said disease if it is contracted and the animal begins showing symptoms. For many vaccinations, they also correlate with a better disease outcome (ie the animal is less likely to die, more likely to recover, and may recover more quickly).



Vaccination is not 100%, and not all humans or animals are able to be vaccinated. So by vaccinating, you are in a way helping to protect the geriatric, young, or otherwise weak animals.



Personally I examined the occurence rates of potential complications with a vaccine, and the complications themselves. I compared that to the occurence rates of said disease and their potential outcomes.



For me, vaccinating is a no-brainer to protect my investment. Everyone is welcome to make their own choices on this issue based on their own research- that is mine. 



The only issue I have ever had with a vaccine is a slightly lethargic horse the day following the shot. This is the result of the immune response to the vaccine. It is the same concept as if you personally were to "feel like you are getting sick", but fight off the virus or illness. Usually the virus is dead or partially killed, so the animal does not get the actually disease, but based upon how our immune system works, it responds as though this is a real infection. 



I personally have yet to see real, published and peer-reviewed scientific research showing that the major vaccines are harmful or not worthwhile.

zansbeunogal_2268 - 2014-04-04 6:49 AM The inlaws have pmu, and they were told it was an option to vaccinate for rhino, they have been doing it for the past 20 years and they never vaccinated because it saves them around 60 grand. well rhino somehow got into the barn. 106 mares were tied in and 92 aborted and they lost 5 mares. It was absolutly devistating!!!! They also kept some back up mares outside but they got it as well and all but 9 aborted, the mares that did foal, some had some birth defects!

lindseylou2290 - 2014-04-04 9:55 AM


Ditto - Just because you vaccinate doesn't mean that the result will be "sterile immunity". While that would be the most ideal outcome, it is simply not possible yet in the science and research world.

I will always vaccinate every year because if my animals are exposed, I want their immune systems to be primed for the best possible outcome.  I also have never seen a peer reviewed journal article that states that major developed and utilized vaccines are harmful and not worthwhile.  I work in this industry and it is my job to test these things and find the potential "bad".  Those vaccines don't make it to market. 

 

dhdqhllc - 2014-04-04 10:02 AM vaccines can be very effective....but it is still a cost/benefit decision.......about the only thing that i ever vaccinated everything for was for WNV when that first came out but after a couple years i didn't do that either......i do vaccinate a few select riding horse for WNV yet....if i have one that is going to be hauled to some bigger events, i may vaccinate them for respiratory stuff....

barrel_racing_angel - 2014-04-01 6:32 PM

You have to be a bit skeptical reading those articles because most of the people who are arguing that horses don't need annual vaccination are just inferring that from studies being done in cats and dogs. Obviously horses are NOT just large dogs, and we are vaccinating them for totally different diseases.  In dogs and cats, we are now vaccinating for certain diseases every 3 years, but some still require annual vaccination. 

My horses do get vaccinated annually, especially if they are hauling and especially for WEST NILE. When I worked at an equine hospital in Idaho, we saw several horses die from West Nile that had been vaccinated just the previous year, but had skipped the vaccine that spring.

I think the important thing to consider here is risk vs. benefit...if your horse has had serious bad reactions in the past (ie anaphylaxis) , it may be more risky for that animal.  If your horse never has issues with vaccines, you are better off doing them yearly, rather than risking infection with a potentially fatal disease.

JMHO
 

justcruzin - 2014-04-05 9:46 AM 106 mares all with foal? What happens to those babies?