Horses are constantly at risk for disease. They live in environments where virus-carrying mosquitoes feed and dangerous bacteria lurk in the soil. On top of that, we take them to horse shows, trail rides, and clinics where they comingle with other horses with unknown health histories. Vaccination can help protect horses from these threats by exposing them to causative agents that stimulate antibody production and provide immunity against disease. Vaccines offer relatively inexpensive insurance to reduce disease risk in our horses.

Here are 12 facts about vaccines and the immunity they induce. Don’t forget to watch Dr. David Horohov’s presentation, “Equine Vaccination: What, When, and Why?” which is part of our Vet on Demand Lecture series organized in partnership with the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center.