Horse Vaccines Are Not Necessary
|
|
If you’ve been paying attention to the news media recently, you’ve probably heard about the vaccination debate. And, you might have heard or read about anti-vaxxers. While most of the population does not question that we need vaccinations to protect us from deadly or debilitating diseases, anti-vaxxers believe that our greater understanding of hygiene and diet, the strength of our own immune systems, and an overall low risk of getting these diseases make vaccinations against measles, whooping cough, polio, smallpox and other diseases unnecessary.
Many also believe that the ingredients used to carry the either live or dead viruses used in vaccines are toxic. They believe that vaccinations do more harm than good. Many anti-vaxxers believe that autism, a developmental disorder that starts early in childhood and is characterised by impaired communication and social behaviors, amongst other things, is caused by vaccines. Despite studies that have disproved this theory, it’s still a common argument against vaccinations.
There are anti-vaxers in the horse world as well. They believe that vaccinations are unnecessary, and in some cases harmful to their horses. The biggest outcry was when the West Nile Virus vaccine was first released and blamed on what looked like severe reactions after the vaccine was given. There certainly could have been some horses that reacted adversely to the vaccine, but most of the information you see online is anecdotal. Horses, with or without vaccines, do become sick, foals are born deformed and broodmares lose foals. The internet makes it easy to say, hey - that happened to someone I know too. And suddenly, you have a flood of stories that seem connected, but may not be. So it’s important to take what you read online with a grain of salt.
Related: Which Vaccinations Does Your Horse Really Need
Related: 10 Diseases You Can Catch From Your Horse
Related: EHV-1 Symptoms and Outbreak Locations
Related: Horse in Texas Team Roping Competition Tested Positive for Rabies
Equine anti-vaxxers also argue that many of the diseases that we vaccinate against aren’t a problem anymore. What they forget, is they don’t exist, or are less of a danger because vaccinations have been successful. When you don’t vaccinate your horse, you’re relying on something called ‘herd immunity’ to keep it safe. Herd immunity occurs when 80% of the population is vaccinated. This keeps the incidence of the disease down, so that the other 20% is more or less safe. Basically, you’re riding the coat tails of someone else’s good choices.
Equine anti-vaxxers believe that vaccinations overload or over-stimulate the horse’s immune system and cause long term neurological or allergy problems. We have to remember that our own, and our horse’s immune system is being assaulted every day by the dirt and germs around us. There’s no evidence that a well planned vaccination regime over stimulates the immune system. Over-vaccination is possible, and that’s why we have to learn what vaccines are appropriate and when they should be given.
Some believe since their horses never go anywhere, they don’t need vaccinations. But, your horse doesn’t have to leave its pasture to get tetanus, things like EE and WNV are mosquito borne, and Potomac Horse Fever is carried by aquatic insects like dragon flies and snails.
And of course, vaccinations are expensive. This may be true. But a vaccination won’t be as expensive as the vet bill will be if your horse has to suffer through something like tetanus. And, it’s hard to imagine the fear and heartbreak you will suffer, along with the pain and suffering of the animal if your horse gets something like rabies - which is still common in wildlife, or Equine Encephalomyelitis.
So while it’s wise to be cautious about what vaccines you give your horse, becoming a complete equine anti-vaxxer might not be the best route either. |
|
|
More News by Winniefield Park
|
|
3P *Starring Ruth* has captured two spots on the leaderboard joining * Queen Of Hearts. Starring Ruth is a 17.1 hand Friesian mare out of the PythonPonyPalaces stable and was foaled September 7, 2023. She not only was #1 ranked ho ...
|
|
DNA testing can tell you a number of things about a horse’s risk of developing a hereditary disease, coat color, genetic markers for speed, temperament and gait and can give some insight into a horse’s breed. In this video, The Cl ...
|
|
Here is a story of how a passion for horses led one woman to a life of secrecy and dishonesty. Over twenty years she built a life of glamor and competitive success. But many people asked how she funded her extravagant lifestyle th ...
|
|
One of the world’s rarest breeds is the Suffolk Punch. Native to Britain, these stocky draft horses once had pride of place in agricultural work, hauling artillery, pulling public transportation vehicles like busses and towing bar ...
|
|
*V For Victory* is entrenched on the leaderboard and still holds the Best Streak with an 18,792 run and a jumpoff record of 29,444 - 19. But two mares have taken over the Top Rank and Highest Jump records. At 16, the 17-hand Crown ...
|
|
Get your daily dose of nature with this 49-minute video of wild horses travelling to a water hole in Sand Wash Basin, a BLM managed area in Colorado. The small herd drinks, grazes and swish's flies in the semi-arid desert environm ...
|
|
Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to consider costumes for you and your four-legged friends. A recent viral trend is dressing your pet as a ghost. Some sheets and paint are the basis of this costume, and you can se ...
|
|
Good riders do what they can to make their horse’s job easier. Especially when jumping, your position can help or hinder your horse as it adjusts its strides and balance between and over obstacles. Here’s a video with good suggest ...
|
|
|