Virginia Owners Advised to Have Horses Vaccinated

The state veterinarian’s office says horse owners should check with their vets now regarding vaccination schedules.
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Mosquito season will begin soon in Virginia. That means it’s time for owners to start thinking about vaccinating horses against mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is encouraging all horse owners to check with their veterinarians for vaccination recommendations for their animals. In 2016, Virginia had seven confirmed EEE cases in horses.

“Both the WNV and EEE vaccines have proven to be highly effective in minimizing disease, if given appropriately,” said Charles Broaddus, DVM, state veterinarian at the VDACS. “Without vaccination, we would see many more infected horses, so we encourage horse owners vaccinate against EEE and WNV. In most cases, private veterinarians will recommend them for their clients.”

Both vaccines are effective for six to 12 months, so horses should be revaccinated at least annually. In areas where the disease occurs frequently or mosquitoes are present for a large portion of the year, many veterinarians recommend vaccination every six months. For the vaccine to be effective, it must be handled and administered properly and be given at least two weeks before the horse is exposed to the virus. Additionally, to stimulate full immunity, horses must be vaccinated twice, about 30 days apart, the first year they are vaccinated

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