Page 39 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

booster is now required within 6 months and 21 days of entrance to a competition venue.

Other horses at high risk of exposure to the virus such as racehorses and those that regularly
VetBooks.ir attend shows and competitions may be boosted against equine influenza every 6 months.

Only healthy horses should be vaccinated. If your horse is coughing or off colour, you
should inform the vet before the vaccine is given.

Exercise following vaccination

Wherever possible, vaccinations should be given at a time when the horse is going to have a
couple of days off. This is because although the majority of horses appear to suffer no ill

effects from the vaccine, some are definitely below par for a few days or experience soreness
at the site of injection. Occasionally a horse develops a temperature and is quite unwell, so it

is not advisable to vaccinate in the midst of a busy competition schedule. Horses cannot race
or enter an FEI competition venue within 7 days of receiving an influenza vaccine.

For horses that are in work, the following guidelines are suggested.
• Do not travel long distances or tire the horse immediately before or after a vaccination.

• Following a vaccination, the horse should be allowed two easy days. Ridden walking

exercise and turning out can be continued as normal, but the horse should not be worked
hard enough to make it sweat or become tired.

• If the horse does seem unwell following vaccination, contact your vet and do not work it
at all.

Pregnant Mares

Pregnant mares should be given an influenza and tetanus booster 4–6 weeks prior to foaling

to give the foal maximum protection. Antibodies are passed to the foal in the colostrum and
will protect it for approximately the first 5–6 months of life. This is known as ‘passive

immunity’.

Foal immunization

It is recommended that foals from vaccinated mares begin their primary vaccination course at

5–6 months of age. Most are protected by the maternal antibodies until this age. There is no
point in vaccinating the foal before the passive immunity wanes, as the antibodies can

prevent the vaccine stimulating an immune response.
If the mare is not vaccinated, then the foal may start its vaccination programme from 4

months of age. Tetanus antitoxin is often administered to foals at birth and should also be