Beginners Guide To Horses

Equine Vaccines

Many new horse owners are completely unaware that horses need to be vaccinated regularly.  Typically vaccinations take place once in the Spring and again in the Fall.

However, since a horse is so large, providing these animals with preventative health care can be even more important than it is for household pets.
If a dog or cat is sick, you can easily keep an eye on them from the comfort of your own home.  When a horse gets sick, you may end up sleeping in a pile of hay.

Fortunately, there are plenty of preventive measures that can help you keep your horse in good health.  Regular health exams and blood work by an equine veterinarian can help you identify changes in your horse’s physical appearance and blood work during future examinations that may be due to illness or disease.

Immunizations are important as well.  Your horse should receive a flu vaccine.  Usually this is done twice a year.  If your horse competes and is exposed to many other horses, your veterinarian may recommend four times a year.

Encephalomyelitis is a deadly virus that can be avoided through annual vaccinations.  This particular virus is spread through mosquitoes, so even horses who don’t compete should receive this vaccination.

West Nile virus is another virus spread by mosquitoes.  Since West Nile Virus can be deadly, vaccination is very important.

Another essential vaccination for horses is a tetanus vaccine.  Although people only receive this vaccination once every ten years, horses usually are vaccinated once per year.
Although some infected horses recover from a case of tetanus with medical care, the majority of these animals die a painful death. Fortunately, the vaccine can help you prevent this deadly disease from ever occurring.

Deworming is another important part of normal health care.  If you think about it, horses graze on land where other animals have been susceptible to worms.  While you may think that worms are not that big a deal, they can actually be deadly if left untreated.  Your veterinarian can suggest appropriate wormers and a schedule.  Typically this is something you administer yourself every few months.  There are different types of worms, so you need a regimen that protects against the various types.  Be sure to follow your veterinarians directions carefully, otherwise your horse might build up an immunity if the products aren’t administered or rotated properly.

Colic is the number one killer of domesticated horses, so you should understand the symptoms and know what to do if you horse has it.  There are a number of different causes of colic, some of which require surgery. Colic surgery is usually an expensive procedure as it is a major surgery.  Since Colic can occur so frequently with horse, you may want to get insurance to cover major medical expenses.  A few hundreds dollars a year can save you thousands of dollars in surgery costs.  Colic is usually caused by a build up of gas in the horse’s digestive system.  Sometimes blockages or severe cases of worms can also cause colic.  Typical symptoms include biting or kicking at stomach, pawing, pacing, lying down and sweating.  If your horse is experiencing some or all of these symptoms, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible and take away all food.  You should walk the horse until your veterinarian arrives.

Keep in mind that the vaccinations and dewormers needed for your horse will depend on a number of factors including where you live, whether the horse is competed, the age and health of the horse etc.  Your veterinarian is the best source for determining what your horse needs.