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  Discussion on Influenza Vaccine
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 1:21 pm:

Can someone clear up the difference between Fort Dodge's Equine Influenza Vaccines for me please?

One contains: A1 (Detroit)
A2 (Milford)
A2 (Kentucky 81)

And the other contains: A1 (Prague)
A2 (Miami)
A2 (Kentucky 81)

If the difference has to do with geographical location, which would you use in Connecticut?

Thanks!
Mary

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 22, 2000 - 8:35 am:

There is no work to suggest that one vaccine would be more efficacous than the other in Conneticut. In fact, there is little field work that suggests these vaccines help any at all at reducing the incidence or severity of flu in horses. That said I admit I still give them due to good personal experience.

If I see horses at high risk (young horses that travel or come into contact with lots of other horses) of influenza we have begun recommending the Heska, intranasal influenza vaccine. Though it contains just one strain (A2: KY 91, I believe) preliminary work suggests it really helps and provides cross protection to common other strains of influenza.
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Mar 23, 2000 - 11:33 am:

Just being nosy - you mean vaccinations aren't required in America?

Here in Ireland you actually have to get flu vaccinations if you want to compete in horse trials or attend any major shows. The vet has to stamp your passport, and that goes to the varous membership organisations like showjumping, dressage etc. for them to check when you renew your membership. At the RDS, the biggest Irish horse show, you can't get into the showground without a vet checking the horse in the box is the one described in the passport and the vaccinations are up to date.

So all this and the vaccinations aren't that effective? Why do they require it, then?

Imogen

Posted on Thursday, Mar 23, 2000 - 6:31 pm:

Good Question Imogen, you would need to ask your passport officials (FEI?), I suspect they would reply, "because it is all we got". But it can't be, "because it has proven to help reduce the incidence or severity of flu", because all the available studies of horses in real life environments shows little effect when comparing influenza vaccinates and nonvaccinates. Hopefully the IN (Heska) vaccine will change that.

We also have some events that require International Passports (typically FEI and USDF competitions) and some competions that require health certificates and have certain rules pertaining to vaccination and Coggins requirements. But except for the FEI sanctioned competions, vaccine requirements are not the rule here at shows.
DrO
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