It can be argued that vaccination is one of the most important medical innovations ever discovered. Once Edward Jenner pioneered vaccination against smallpox in the 18th century, people have looked to vaccines as a way to help prevent some of the most devastating diseases that have afflicted humans and their animals.
Vaccination has served to help protect horses from a variety of maladies, as well. However, the actual effectiveness of many of the vaccines that are used in horses is questionable. That is, with rare exception, most of the vaccines that are used in horses haven’t actually been tested to see if they actually prevent disease. In addition, the “optimum” interval for vaccination is not necessarily the same for every horse; the vaccination schedule for your horse may vary depending on circumstances such as frequency of travel, and how many horses live together (kind of like kids at school).
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the largest organization of equine veterinarians in the world, has developed vaccination guidelines for various diseases. It’s full of good information, and it can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
Work with your veterinarian to establish the appropriate vaccination schedule for your horse. And look around these pages to get information about various diseases, and the vaccines that may help prevent them.
