Question: “What is your standard protocol for annual routine immunization & worming of healthy, non-immunocompromised, non-show circuit pleasure horses in the North East?”

First, a plug for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). They have put together some nice vaccination guidelines on their educational web site myhorsematters.com. Their guidelines can be found here.

As to the question at hand, a standard vaccination protocol for healthy, non-immunocompromised, non-show horses in New England would include:

• Tetanus Toxoid: Annual vaccination. Additional booster if penetrating injury greater than 6 months since last tetanus vaccination.
• Equine Encephalitis: Spring annual vaccination.
• Western Encephalitis: Spring annual vaccination.
• West Nile Virus: Spring annual vaccination
• Rabies: Annual vaccination
• Potomac Horse Fever: Spring Annual vaccination. Additional fall booster if spring vaccination was prior to May 1st.

I consider the above vaccinations the MINIMUM for the type of horse you describe. If the horse were stabled in a boarding facility or similar environment I would also recommend:

• Influenza: Twice yearly vaccination. Intra-nasal vaccination appears to provide the most protection.
• Rhinopneumonitis (EHV-1 & EHV-4): Twice yearly vaccination.
• Strangles: Annual intra-nasal vaccination.

With the outbreak of a disease in a given area, the above vaccination protocol may be adjusted with additional boosters (e.g. the current EHV-1 outbreaks in Florida and elsewhere). Also note, that if your horse has never before been vaccinated for one the above diseases, or if you’ve allowed a vaccination to lapse, your horse may require additional boosters of a given vaccine to bring him up to date.

The worming regimen can be quite varied for the type of horse described. The answers depend upon herd management — especially manure management. Ideally, we advocate deworming based on the results of fecal exams. However, I often suggest a basic deworming schedule that includes:

• January: Panacur Powerpac (5day double dose of Panacur)
• March: Strongid
• May: Zimectrin Gold OR Equimax
• July: Quest
• September: Strongid
• November: Zimectrin Gold OR Equimax

OR

• Daily Dewormer with Strongid C2x and twice a year (spring and fall) with Zimectrin Gold OR Equimax

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 4th, 2007 at 8:14 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.