Rabies
Rabies is a deadly disease that can be nearly fully prevented by vaccinating your horse once a year. Rabies is most often caused by the bite of an infected rabid animal. Being exposed to the bodily fluids of an infected animal can also cause disease, including transmission to people. The Rabies vaccine for horses is nearly 100% protective. A horse infected with Rabies could appear to have neurological signs as well as many other signs.
West Nile Virus, Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis
West Nile Virus and Eastern/Western/Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis are all mosquito-borne diseases (caused by the bite of a mosquito). These viral diseases can cause different signs in horses including fever, neurological signs, muscle fasciculations, recumbency, and in some cases death. Treatments consist primarily of supportive care and some horses that recover could have permanent neurological problems. Only Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis can be transmitted by a mosquito biting an infected horse and then biting a person and causing disease in a person. Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis has not been diagnosed in the United States since 1970 in Texas, although titers for this disease have been found in horses in Florida. These vaccines are very effective.
Influenza
Influenza in horses can cause lethargy, inappetence, fever, nasal discharge, and/or coughing. It can be contagious. Vaccination can help prevent disease and the spreading of disease.
Rhinopneumonitis or Equine Herpes Virus
Can cause signs that are similar to influenza in horses and vaccination can help prevent disease and spreading of disease. In some cases, horses can become neurological when infected by certain strains of Equine Herpes Virus and can become severely infected or die. None of these vaccines prevents this form of Equine Herpes Virus although it will be helpful to vaccinate our horse.
Potomac Horse Fever
Potomac Horse Fever can be a deadly disease for horses. It is caused by an insect on the pasture that has been ingested by a horse and resulting in severe disease or death. A vaccine is available, although it may not be fully preventative in every case, it may prevent severe disease.
Botulism
Botulism can cause severe illness and death in horses. Botulism is a spore-forming bacteria present on pasture. In adult horses, the ingestion of this spore will not cause disease. Different circumstances such as weather change, a dead animal such as a mouse or other on the pasture, or other conditions can cause this spore to become a toxin that is very dangerous if a horse ingests it. Feeding round bales of hay and other types of feeding management can be an increased risk for horses. In foals, the ingestion of the Botulism spore can become toxic in the intestinal tract of a foal and cause severe disease. Proper vaccination of the foal’s dam prior to foaling is protective for preventing Botulism in foals. The Botulism Toxoid vaccine is a very effective vaccine.
Tetanus
Spores of the Tetanus bacteria can be found in soil. Wounds can become infected with tetanus in any type of wound including infected wounds. This can cause rigid paralysis and possible death. The vaccine for horses is very effective.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacteria found in the environment. Uveitis is a serious eye disease seen in many horses and is caused by Leptospirosis in 70% of uveitis cases. This vaccine can prevent many serious cases of Equine Recurrent Uveitis.
Strangles
Strangles, or Streptococcus equi equi, is a contagious disease that is easily spread among horses in close contact with one other. Sharing water and feed buckets can spread disease. Fomites such as brushes, clothes, and hands can also cause the spread of disease. Signs of a horse infected with strangles generally consist of nasal discharge, fever, painful enlarged glands sometimes with a discharge, depression, and off feed. There are some instances where horses do not appear sick although can spread disease. There is an intramuscular vaccine that is approximately 50% effective. It can cause pain and swelling at the injection site. The intranasal vaccine is approximately 80% effective with occasional mild side effects. Vaccination of horses under one year of age is not recommended.