Strangles vaccination

[jennyr]

I have been asked if I want to have Tilly vaccinated with the new strangles injection. Has anyone had any experience with this. I am sure that she should have it but would like to know a little more about it before I go ahead.

[galadriel]

Which is the "new" strangles vaccination? (Are you outside the US? The US has had two for quite some time now.)

Of the two that are commonly available in the US, they have two very different reputations. So it would be helpful to know just what vaccination you're talking about :)

[jennyr]

Not really sure - I am in the UK. The girl at the stables mentioned that she is having her done and wanted to know if we wanted Tilly doing at the same time.

[Sophini]

Thew new UK vaccine is called Equilis StrepE and is marketed by Intervet. You can find more details on their site:

http://www.intervet.co.uk/company/company_news/company_news.asp

Or if you vist Horse& Hound Online i think they've done a review of it too.....

One thing that concerns me is the vaccine is injected into the top lip and i can't see that being to easy to do!!

JJ.

[Bebe]

I think whether you need your horse vaccinated with this (rather than want it) depends on a few factors:

Age of your horse - strangles is more predominant in the elderly and very young
Possible exposure to strangles - if you're on a yard where horses are in and out a lot, new horses coming in, lots of shows, etc then you'll be at higher risk than a yard with a closed herd that doesn't go to shows or hold them.
Cost - whilst we'd all like to think this isn't a factor sometimes it is. My understanding of this new vaccine is that it has to be given quite frequently, certainly more often than once a year. This could be expensive.
Efficacy of the vaccine - if it's only 60% effective in trials then it may not be worth doing it anyway.
Possible side effects - are there any, what are they, etc.

[galadriel]

Ugh! That sounds like a real pain.

The Strangles inoculations available in the states are each for 1 yr. The older one is an injection which has a rotten reputation; apparently the injectable is more likely than most to cause infection or other irritation at the injection site.

A newer one is intranasal. It's a live vaccine. My vets always do this at the very end of their visit, in order to make sure not to accidentally get some of the germs from the vaccine onto another needle, onto their fingers, etc and transfer them to another part of the body. The intranasal vaccine is administered by sticking a long thin tube up the horse's nose--they hate it, but deal with it okay (and the vets are good at handling it quickly).

Unless I had a serious chance of exposure to Strangles (lots of travelling, lots of horses coming in & out of the facility, etc) I don't think I'd be willing to give my horses a submucosal injection four times a year. Augh! IM, maybe, but that's still a little excessive.

[Silver1]

I'm sure its easier then the one that has to be done half way up the horses nose...boy did a lot of horses dance at the last vaccination clinic. ;)

[Silver1]

Oops! Just realized you were explaining about the very one I was talking about! Silly m :o