There are multiple diseases that horses can catch in New Zealand, that we have vaccinations for.
What vaccines your horse requires depends on what activities the horse is involved in and its level of social interaction with other horses:
Tetanus: Tetanus is considered a core vaccination for all horses in New Zealand. Tetanus is caused by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. The spores are present in the environment and often gain access to the horse via an infected wound. It is a very painful and usually fatal condition and so keeping up to date with vaccinations is very important. A course of two injections, four weeks apart is required, followed by a booster within a year later and then up to five yearly thereafter.
Strangles: Strangles is another commonly administered vaccine for horses. It is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi subspecies equi and typically results in a serious infection of the guttural pouch of the horse. It is highly contagious, so keeping horses up to date with this vaccine is very important. The strangles vaccine is recommended for horses who are going to be interacting with other horses, especially if there are horses coming and going from the property or the horse is going out and about.
Herpesvirus: The Equine herpesvirus (EHV-1 and EHV-4) vaccine is a third common vaccination for horses in New Zealand. This virus can cause respiratory disease, abortion and, rarely, neurological disease. It is recommended that breeding mares and horses that are competitive/pleasure horses interacting with other horses are vaccinated against these viruses.
There are a few other vaccinations for breeding mares, to protect against salmonella and rotavirus. The timing of these vaccines is important, so please get in touch with us if you have plans on breeding your mare this season.
During competition season, it is a good idea to think about your horse’s vaccination status and how you can help to prevent your horse catching an illness from others. Good hygiene practices are important and be aware that diseases can be spread on items such as grooming equipment too.
