> As for horse vaccines, why would you not do it, what are your reasons?
Janice - I think there has been enough cases of death or sickness as a result of vaccines, that we need to be careful as to how often we administer shots and how many. I think at one point, vaccines were a miracle and we just couldn't wait to vaccine with everything there was to offer. I think now, many people are being more cautious. To me it's a matter of balance (as I have found most things end up being) I consider the likelihood of my horse being exposed to a disease, whether it would die from that disease and what are the adverse side affects of the vaccine. Just like your vet suggested giving your Icelandics separate vaccines - that's just being cautious and wise. Just like you deciding not to give PHF because that isn't a disease in your area. I think it's silly to put your horse at risk by not giving it a rabies vaccine but I also believe they are going to find that giving them less frequently than every year is going to work for horses like it does for dogs and humans. I don't normally give flu/rhino because my horses don't go where they would have a high likelihood of being exposed but I did give Mura a flu/rhino last week because she's going to the vet school and I think the stress of travel there and being exposed to the "bugs" that are present in any animal hospital make it wise at this time. I have a friend that is an equine vet and she is very cautious as to how many vaccines she gives. Each person is in a different situation because of where they live and how much they expose their horses to other horses - especially ones they don't know about the care of the other horses. In your situation, because of locale and the things you participate in, I would probably give a lot more shots than I do in my situation. I definitely don't believe all vaccines are harmful - kind of like throwing out the baby with the bath water - but I don't believe in giving them indiscriminately. -- Laree in NC Doppa & Mura Simon, Sadie and Sam (the "S" gang) "Yet when all the books have been read and reread, it boils down to the horse, his human companion, and what goes on between them." - William Farley
