Vaccination Protocols

INTENSIVE VACCINATION PROGRAM

This protocol is recommended for horses in year-round or intense competition, horses at boarding/training stables, or horses that travel frequently. The recommended yearly vaccinations are:

INTERMEDIATE VACCINATION PROGRAM

This protocol is recommended for horses doing a moderate to low amount of competition or travel and live at small boarding stables or on private farms with a low turnover rate.  The recommended yearly vaccinations are:

(We have a new vaccine, called a 6-Way, that combines the traditional 3-Way, West Nile, Flu and Rhino in a single shot. Horses with low risk of respiratory disease can be adequately protected with this vaccine. However, for horses at higher risk we still recommend using the separate 3-way/West Nile and Calvenza Flu/Rhino vaccines.)

BASIC VACCINATION PROGRAM 

This protocol is recommended for horses who are not competing and have little to no exposure to new or outside horses. The recommended yearly vaccinations are:

  • West Nile/3-Way (3-Way is common term for tetanus and sleeping sickness -WEE/EEE- vaccine) once yearly in Spring (click here for West Nile info)
  • Strangles (intranasal) once yearly in spring

BROODMARES

To help decrease the risk of infectious abortion, pregnant broodmares should be given a series of vaccination against Equine Herpes Virus-1 (Rhinopneumonitis) using Prodigy or Pneumabort at 5, 7, and 9 months of gestation.

Broodmares should have their annual vaccinations boosters 3-4 weeks prior to their expected foaling date in order to augment their circulating antibody levels, which can then be transferred to the foal via the colostrum. The intermediate level of vaccination is usually our recommendation for broodmares.

Although it is reportedly safe to vaccinate a pregnant mare with the Strangles vaccine, because it is given intra nasally, its prime effect is to stimulate antibodies on the mucosal surface of the nose/upper airway rather than antibodies that circulate generally within the body. These mucosal antibodies are not transferred via the colostrum to the foal, so boostering the mare for Strangles prior to foaling has limited benefit to the foal.

FOALS

Foals are usually not vaccinated prior to 3-4 months of age in order to let their immune systems develop and be able to respond to the vaccine. Influenza vaccination is typically delayed until after 6 months of age in order to provide a better immune response.

  • 3-Way (Tetanus and Eastern and Western sleeping sickness) given at 4-6 months of age, and boostered 3-4 weeks later
  • West Nile Virus given at 4-6 months of age and boostered in 3-4 weeks, if within the mosquito season. If not at least 3 months old in mosquito season, vaccination is delayed until the following spring.
  • Calvenza (Influenza/Rhinopneumonitis) IM at 6-9 months of age, and boostered 3-6 weeks later
  • Strangles intranasal at 6-9 months of age, and boostered 3-4 weeks later