Howdy Friends!
Thoughts on vaccinations, as do many homeopathic, holistic and natural practices, such as all-forage diets, no stalls, no shoes, etc., often cause quite vigorous debates.
My own opinion though is we way, way over-vaccinate—to the health detriment of our horses …Immunology has recognized for a great many years that vaccinations for viruses provide a long-lived immunity. This is why your physician is not sending you postcards to repeat your small pox or polio vaccinations annually.
My opinion is not anti-vaccination, it is anti-repeated-vaccination. People simply do not relate or understand the harm that over vaccination does to the system.
“A practice that was started many years ago and that lacks scientific validity or verification is annual revaccination. Almost without exception there is no immunologic requirement for annual revaccination. Immunity to viruses persists for years or for the life of the animal…… Furthermore, revaccination with most viral vaccines fails to stimulate an anamnestic (secondary) response…. The practice of annual vaccination, in our opinion, should be considered of questionable efficacy…” Excerpt from Current Veterinary Therapy, Volume XI, published in 1992 (a very well-respected, peer-reviewed textbook that is updated every four years). The authors are veterinary immunologists Dr. Ronald Schultz (University of Wisconsin) and Dr. Tom Phillips (Scripps Research Institute).
Repeated vaccinations not only confuse the immune system but often cause it to turn on itself and even attack healthy red blood cells.
The horse is the most over-vaccinated animal, even more than dogs and cats, and repeated vaccinations do more damage than any other management practice.
Repeated vaccination causes a plethora of ill effects that people fail to connect to the vaccine, including allergies, skin conditions, thrush and even changes in temperament, auto immune disorders, certainly founder, organ failure and more.
So many horses are coming up with wide varieties of allergies. Immunologists have linked this to confused immune systems. These are long-lasting effects that take their toll.
“If people would just have one awakening in their journey to have a vital, thriving animal, I wish it could be that they would understand, we now know, all vaccinations for viruses last a very long time, and repeated vaccinations to an already immune horse adds nothing, but it does compound the ill effects, and even lesson the very immunity already existing,” Dr. Will Falconer.
In his twenty-two years as a full time practicing homeopathic veterinarian the one treatment he sees that does the most harm, causes the most trouble is vaccines. “People simply do not relate or understand the harm that over vaccination does to the system. If there were one thing I could wave a magic wand and fix, it would be the attitude toward vaccinations.” Dr. Falconer explained that repeated vaccinations impair and confuse the immune system.
In the late 1970s, vaccine researcher Dr. Ronald Schultz discovered that rabies and the core vaccines last for the life of the animal in nearly all cases.
These are just my thoughts, I’m sharing them in the hopes you might think about it, and do some research of your own. There is plenty of information out there today. I believe in the “once is enough treatment for vaccinations.”
It is far better to learn how to help your horse build the strongest possible immune system that can defend against invaders, viruses included. Tetanus is the only vaccination that needs to be repeated every 7 years, because it is bacterial, not a virus. ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
MORE about vaccinations can be found in my book “It’s For The Horses.”
Thank you so very much for the desire and love you have for God’s most beautiful gifts to His children. Just as deworming our horses has now been proven to not be necessary 6 times a year with a fecal egg count performed by owner or a veterinarian, the 1 or 2 times yearly booster shots can probably be given much less. Take Strangles vaccine, for example. I was told by my vet that definitely is not necessary for any horse over 15 years of age especially when the horse has adverse health effects after dosing occurs.
Unfortunately, each state and the AAEP has requirements for core vaccines to be administered either once a year or every six months. Those core vaccines are tetanus, EEE/WEE, West Nile Virus and Rabies.
If horses are kept within their own herds and never travel to national or local shows or events, it might be safe to hold off on repeated vaccination boosters every year. I have a feeling that insurance companies probably require adherence to guidelines for their clients. In addition, individual barns require certain vaccines or they will not allow horses to be boarded there.
In a perfect world, we would not need to discuss. Unfortunately, this is not the case for our beloved equines. God bless.
Thanks Karen. Well in deworming I’ve long held the belief there too most horses are way overdone. There is no reason to even worm once a year. Wormers are toxic chemicals, and horses are ill equipped to shed toxins. As to the “requirements” of vaccinations, I’ll not put my horse in a situation that “requires” them. My years of interviews, research and work has shown me beyond doubt the damage repeated vacs do to horses. It is sad what these noble creatures are subjected to.
My poor horse just could not get rid of pinworms despite worming specifically for them.
I don’t know about pinworms. So I can’t offer any thoughts. Sorry. Overall it is true horses are way over treated for worms. And that’s not good.
I wish more vets, and physicians for that matter, did their own research on the effects of over-vaccination instead of the listening to the pharmaceutical companies. You truly have to be your pet’s (and your own) best advocate.
Thanks Claudia! Yes it seems the animal health care industry is as driven by money/profit idol worship as is human health care today. Gone it seems are the days of “Do no harm.” We must be on our guard, as you say and be out critters best advocate. It truly is up to us.
I know rabies and tetanus vax last at least 5 years. not sure about west nile especially in rainy climates
Thanks, Kathi, Rabies is a virus, and worse, repeated vacs for rabies has been shown (years ago already, in the 1970s)attack the animal’s nervous system. Dr Fox and his team have positively linked rabies vac to hip-displacia.
West nile is a virus. And all virus immunities last a very long time. The damage repeated vacs pose to the health of the horse, far exceed any perceived benefit from re-vac.
Good article, as always.
Thank you Debra! Yes, so important.
Dutch – what do you do for a horse that is already infected with Lyme? He has only had one flare up since initial infection but really affects him and is out of commission for weeks while on doxy (which I don’t like).
I have helped several horses defeat lyme with Dr Thomas’ “Total Immune Health” Have a read here of my blog, “Let’s Talk About Lyme Disease” https://dutchhenryauthor.com/lets-talk-about-lyme-disease/