Volume 5 | March 2021
CEM Quarantine News & Updates

Vaccines - A Topic On Everyone's Mind

Whether it's spring equine vaccines, human COVID vaccines, or both, disease prevention is a topic that is on everyone's mind right now. The Center for Equine Health is proud to provide customized services to meet each horse's individual needs - including vaccinations. The majority of horses imported to the United States have not been vaccinated against diseases common in the U.S. We encourage you to discuss with your veterinarian which vaccines, if any, your horse should receive while in quarantine. Our staff is happy to make arrangements to have vaccinations performed by UC Davis veterinarians. Your horse's temperature and comfort will be monitored daily and every effort will be made to minimize discomfort from common side effects such as mild fever. Vaccination requests can be indicated on the client booking form and/or discussed with CEH technicians once your horse has arrived at our facility.

For more information, look for our upcoming spring Horse Report publication, which is all about equine vaccines. Subscribe here to receive the issue in your inbox.
Equine Herpesvirus

Our hearts go out to all affected by the recent outbreak of the neurological form of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in Europe that has cancelled major events and highlighted a downside of our increasingly mobile global equine population. 

The neurologic form of EHV-1 can cause a condition known as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), which attacks the spinal cord and brain and can be fatal.
The virus is spread by direct horse-to-horse contact, by contaminated hands, equipment and tack, and, for a short time, through aerosolization of the virus within the environment of the stall and stable. Infected horses that show no clinical signs, which often includes older horses, act as carriers and can shed the virus.

Although currently available vaccines for EHV-1 do not prevent the neurologic form of the disease, they may reduce viral shedding. 

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for information about upcoming webinars on EHV/EHM.
You May Be Wondering
Q: If my horse was vaccinated before it left, does it need to have more vaccinations when it arrives?

A: Vaccination recommendations are dependent upon a variety of factors. One of these is the country of origin. For example, in the U.S. we administer a different flu vaccine than is commonly given in Europe, with ours typically covering more strains. In addition, some horses may not have received the West Nile vaccine or the “3-way” (Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, and tetanus) vaccine. We usually do not recommend the strangles vaccine while in quarantine, but can arrange to collect and submit a sample for serology (titer). Other considerations include the age, health, and veterinary history of the horse, the time of year that the horse arrives, and the horse's final destination. UC Davis veterinarians take all of this information into account when making any vaccination recommendations. The choice of which vaccines to administer, if any, is up to the owner.
To make a reservation or for more information, please contact the CEH office at (530) 752-6433, or email cehadmin@ucdavis.edu.