Q: I own two off-track Thoroughbreds that live at home. I have been considering self-vaccination for my mare and gelding. Can you share with me pros and cons of not having my veterinarian do this task?
A: Believe me, I totally get why you and other horse owners might want to go the route of vaccinating your horses yourselves. Hopefully this list of self-vaccinating pros and cons will help you make the decision that is right for your individual situation:
If you’re enrolled in ColiCare, the colic surgery reimbursement program offered by SmartPak, then vaccines MUST be administered by a veterinarian to comply with annual wellness requirements. That’s how firmly SmartPak believes in the value of having a veterinarian involved in the preventive care of your horse.
To read more about vaccine technology, labeling, storage and handling adverse reactions, and core vs risk-based vaccines, I encourage you to read the 2012 Vaccination Guidelines published by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and available on its website www.aaep.org. Whichever method you decide, I applaud you for wanting to protect your horses from infectious and sometimes contagious diseases.
Dr. Lydia Gray is the Medical Director and Staff Veterinarian for SmartPak Equine in Plymouth, MA, where she directs the research and development of products and provides horse health and nutrition education to a wide variety of audiences. Dr. Gray’s work has appeared in more than a dozen general and trade publications and she speaks frequently around the country. She is the proud owner of a Trakehner gelding named “Newman” that she competes in dressage and combined driving.
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