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Vaccination programs should follow a continuous year-round schedule based on local health problems. Vaccination against rhinopneumonitis should be performed at 5, 7, and 9 mo of gestation. Vaccinations that require annual boosters should be administered 4–6 wk before the mare's due date to stimulate the dam to produce antibodies that will be transferred to the foal via the colostrum (see Management of Reproduction: Horses: Example of Vaccination Schedule for Broodmares ). Colostrum should be ingested in the first 24 hr of life to effectively provide passive transfer of immunoglobulins.
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Table 1
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Example of Vaccination Schedule for Broodmares |
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Vaccine
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Schedule
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Equine rhinopneumonitis (killed virus)
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5, 7, and 9 mo of gestation and after foaling
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Tetanus (toxoid)
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4–6 wk before due date
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Equine influenza
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4–6 wk before due date; initially administer 3 doses at 4–6 wk intervals and then every 2–3 mo during gestation for mares exposed to transient population
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Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis
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Usually administered to mares in late spring or early summer before onset of insect season; initially administer 2 doses at 4-wk intervals; depends on location; if foaling late in season, should be administered again 4–6 wk before due date
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Rabies
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4–6 wk before due date; annual if endemic
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Botulism (toxoid)
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Initially 3 doses at 1-mo intervals, then annual booster 4–6 wk before due date
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West Nile virus
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Recommendations not yet available for pregnant mares; clinically, vaccination during pregnancy seems safe but efficacy is not known; initially 2 doses at 4–6 wk interval; 4–6 wk before due date
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Rotaviral diarrhea
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8, 9, and 10 mo of gestation
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Equine viral arteritis (modified live virus)
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A negative titer should be documented by a USDA-approved laboratory before vaccination; pregnant mares should not be vaccinated; open mares should be vaccinated before breeding to a positive stallion that is shedding the virus; mares must be isolated from other horses for 3 wk after vaccination; annual boosters recommended; positive titers may cause problems if mare is to be exported or bred on certain farms. (Stallions should also be vaccinated 3 mo before breeding.)
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Potomac horse fever
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Initially administer 2 doses at 3–4 mo interval, then semiannually with one dose 4–6 wk before due date
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Strangles (bacterin)
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Not routinely administered, used only if warranted for a specific mare and situation; occasional problems with abscesses and sore muscles; questionable efficacy
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Last full review/revision July 2011 by Patricia L. Sertich, MS, VMD, DACT
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