For many, spring and fall shots are a ritual. The change into these seasons prompts a call to your vet to come out and vaccinate your horses. Have you ever considered the effects on your horses’ health from this rigorous schedule? Do you pay attention to how your horses’ feel on the days following the shots? Is there a pattern of regular signs of discomfort every time? As your horses’ caregiver, these signs and patterns are so important to recognize!
Before you jump on the phone to schedule your horses’ spring shots, consider asking yourself these questions…
- Have my horses’ received shots regularly over the last few years? Did you know that vaccines stay active within the body for many years? When tested, an animal can show anti-bodies for as many as 15-20 years after the shot. This means that the animal is protected from the threat due to these anti-bodies. It has immunity!
There is a simple test called a TITER. This is a blood test that checks for anti-bodies. If your horses have the anti-bodies, then they are protected and do not need another shot. If they are given repeated shots, there is a build-up of adjuvants which are the additives in vaccines. These are heavy metals and other toxins that cause the harmful side effects. When the build-up becomes too much for the animal’s system, it may experience VACCINOSIS.
- Do my horses live at home, perhaps older, and rarely come in contact with other horses? This situation most likely eliminates the need for vaccinations. Providing plenty of good forage, balanced minerals, fresh water and movement will do more for preserving the health of your horses than anything!
- Do any of my horses have an existing health condition? It is NOT recommended to give a vaccine to an animal that is health compromised in any way. This includes horses prone to laminitis, any metabolic disorders, fever, etc.
One experience I recall, was helping a friend to learn to trim her horses. I’d visit periodically to check in and see the progress. Through our conversation about her mini, I suggested she consider skipping the vaccines that spring. In the past, he had suffered from laminitis after every vaccine. This time for the first time, without the shots, there was no episode of laminitis in the spring!
Think back to the patterns that have occurred for your horses. Are there reactions at the shot location? Do any of your horses have a fever after the shot? Are there movement changes? Or behavior changes? These are all red flags and reasons to reconsider giving your horses their spring (or fall) shots. Instead, consider the TITER test mentioned above.
For those who are required to have shots for a boarding situation, help your horses by giving them a Rain Drop session. This is a technique utilizing Young Living Essential Oils and application techniques (there’s more information on this technique in The Hearts Of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care Facebook group). This application helps to clear the body of the heavy metals and other toxins and allows the body to heal itself.
If you’d like to hear more, from a holistic veterinarian, I had a conversation with Dr. Barb Fox DVM on this topic. Visit the Guide Section in The Hearts of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care to hear our conversation.
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