Equine Flu :o(

Mollymoo26

Mollymoo26

New Member
May 22, 2009
282
0
0
I decided last year that I wouldnt flu vac my two this year as they both live out do not have any other horses around. Big mistake last week I noticed one of them was coughing and snotting the other just snotting. I was so panicked that it could be strangles I didnt think it could be flu. I had the vet out and both have flu and need two weeks off to recoup this has really set me back as I was so hoping to get fat boy as trim as I could before the spring grass :( anyone else had an outbreak of flu?? x
 
Strangles is a bad strain of influenza, it's important that all horses are vaccinated as the risk is too great, it only takes one to come down with it, for them all to be at risk. They don't have to display the symptoms to be a carrier..
You took a chance, and unfortunately you've been unlucky, but at least they haven't got the strangles, take it as a warning, get them vaccinated..
 
Its just bad luck really. My oldie had a bad reaction to a flu jab 25 years ago. I stopped having him done, even though I always had the others done.

Two years ago, as he was 32 I spoke to the vet as I was worried that flu might kill him at his age. We tried it again and he's been fine.

However he went 23 years, mixing with other horses and going places without a single problem.

Sorry you were unlucky, hope they get better soon.
 
the vet told my YO that theres so many different strains of flu that the annual vaccinations are actually ripping people off as you cant vacinate against all strains of flu and the horses can pos still catch one. I still have mine vaccinated anyway but the YO because of that didnt have her horse vaccinated for yrs, but has started again recently because of competitions.
 
I have not had mine vaccinated against flu since I stopped competing & they have been fine. I only vaccinate against tetanus & I think that that is a rip off too. Ask a vet why a horse has to be vaccinated every two or three years when they are not even bothering to vaccinate humans every ten!:confused:I have been asking this question for years & haven't had a rational answer ever.
 
Same as what Julie said above. Our vet told us that even if your horse/s are vaccinated against flu it doesn't mean they won't get flu, as in humans, there are too many strains and the vaccination does not cover them all. So your two could still have come down with this. I have three who have had respiratory infections in the past so they are vaccinated against flu as a bit of a precaution but it is in no way guaranteed to help. Don't beat yourself up about it, I hope they are feeling better soon. :)

Tetanus is the must!! :)
 
Maya is still snotty with a dry cough so have left our vet a message this morning. I've been wary that it could be flu and have been gentle with her.

I thought she was going to kill herself yesterday though! I got her out to put the saddle on and have a little sit on her. She was fine but I felt bad so I let her loose so she could groom her friend and have a roll in the sand. However she decided to go crazy and was running around, coughing, snotting and then gasping for breath! She then wouldn't let me catch her and so carried on storming around! Scared the hell out of me crazy horse I thought she was going to keel over and die.
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back