importance-of-equine-vaccines-strip1

Why Equine Vaccinations Matter

Horses are strong, hardy animals, but, like all animals, they’re still susceptible to disease. Whether your horses are working animals, show horses, livestock, or simply companions, you can protect them from some of the most common contagious and dangerous diseases with a regular schedule of vaccinations.

Core and Risk-Based Equine Vaccine

Not every horse needs to have every vaccination that’s been developed. Equine vaccines fall into two categories: core and risk-based vaccines. Core vaccines include those that are typically recommended for all horses, and risk-based vaccines include those that are only recommended on a case-by-case basis.

Core Equine Vaccines

The five core vaccinations for horses are:

  • Rabies
  • Tetanus
  • Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE)
  • Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE)
  • West Nile virus
All of the diseases from which these core vaccinations safeguard horses have high fatality rates and/or long-lasting symptoms that will hinder a horse’s health and performance for life. In most cases, equine veterinarians recommend that all horses receive a regular schedule that includes these core vaccinations.

Risk-Based Equine Vaccines

Additional risk-based vaccinations that are commonly administered on a case-by-case basis include:

  • Strangles
  • Leptospirosis
  • Equine influenza
  • Rotavirus
  • Botulism
  • Rhinopneumonitis (equine herpesvirus)
  • Potomac horse fever (PHF)
  • Equine viral arteritis (EVA)
  • Anthrax

What Vaccinations Do My Horses Need?

Not every horse will need to receive every vaccination. For individual horses, equine veterinarians usually make recommendations that include a combination of core and risk-based vaccines. These recommendations are based on each individual horse’s:

  • Overall health
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Horse type and use
  • Exposure to other livestock, horses, domestic animals, and wildlife
  • Local/regional history of disease outbreaks
  • Local environment and geography
  • Travel or horse show routine

Our veterinarians at Advanced Equine keep track of all disease outbreaks that occur in our region, and we’ll make recommendations based on what our veterinarians and equine veterinarians from other practices are seeing in their patients. Additionally, horses that are exposed to lots of other horses (on neighboring farms, in horse shows, or at competitions) will likely receive a greater number of vaccinations due to their increased exposure risk.

For any horse, a thorough veterinary examination and evaluation are necessary to determine the appropriate schedule of vaccinations to keep that particular horse thriving and healthy.

More Ways to Strengthen a Horse's Immune System

The most important part of safeguarding a horse from disease is maintaining overall good health and an equally strong immune system. You can help support your horse’s immune system by always providing a balanced and nutritious diet, plenty of exercise, shelter and a clean environment, and regular veterinary care.
To schedule a checkup and vaccinations for your horse, we invite you to contact Advanced Equine of the Hudson Valley today.
equine-preventative-dental-care-blog-strip1

The Importance of Equine Preventative Dental Care

With regular wear and tear, a horse’s natural teeth are designed to last about 20 years, as the reserve crowns continuously erupt while the exposed crown wears away. With exceptional care, horses are living well into their 30s. A sedated oral exam performed with a mouth speculum and treatment (primarily odontoplasty) performed annually by a veterinarian is essential to maintaining your horse’s health and wellbeing.

3 Reasons Why Equine Dental Care Is So Important

1. Monitor Development

Foals are constantly teething from their first year until about age 4. While teething, horses should be monitored for proper development, tooth eruption, and shedding of primary teeth. This ensures healthy development and allows an equine veterinarian to address any concerns before they have the chance to develop into serious problems.

2. Prevent Tooth Imbalances

In the wild, horses have varied diets that help their teeth maintain normal wear patterns. The domestic equine diet differs greatly. Without professional dental maintenance, horses develop imbalances and malocclusion in their mouths, such as:
  • Waves
  • Ramps
  • Hooks
  • Broken molars
  • Retained primary teeth
  • Wolf teeth
  • Long canine teeth
  • Sharp teeth (which cuts cheek and tongue tissues)
  • Imbalanced or overgrown incisors
These issues are uncomfortable, make eating difficult, and are downright painful. Neglecting a horse’s teeth will harm the animal’s health.

3. Geriatric Health

Senior horses are prone to developing periodontal disease (bacterial infection of the gums), which can lead to systemic disorders and break down the periodontal ligaments that connect a horse’s teeth to the jawbone. This leads to loose and/or missing teeth.
Achieving perfect balance in a senior horse’s mouth is not always possible. Yet, maintaining their oral care and some degree of balance is essential to the horse’s overall health. Without a proper bite and healthy teeth and gums, a senior horse’s ability to process feed will deteriorate and so will the horse’s condition.
equine-preventative-dental-care-blog-strip3

When to Schedule a Dental Exam for Your Horse

Equine oral health begins with a strong foundation of dental care. A horse should have its first comprehensive dental exam before it reaches 1 year. The horse should then have semi-annual dental exams until about age 5. After age 5, a horse’s schedule of dental exams will vary based on the individual horse’s condition and needs, but generally annual dental exams are recommended.

Schedule Your Horse's Next Dental Appointment in Fishkill, NY Today

At Advanced Equine of the Hudson Valley, our equine specialists provide on-site dental exams, odontoplasty, extractions and other treatments to horses in NY and western CT. In addition to providing comprehensive equine dental care, our veterinarians have access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, enabling us to offer a comprehensive list of advanced equine veterinary care services.
To schedule a dental exam for your horse contact us today!