CONSULTANTS

IMMUNITY

Can a horse receive too many vaccinations?

Q: A few months ago, my husband and I took in a rescue horse, and we are slowly doing what we can to restore his health though careful re-feeding, farriery work and veterinary care. However there’s one area of his health that has me worried: We can’t find any information on which vaccinations this horse may or may not have received in his life. How do you handle vaccinations for horses with unknown histories? Which factors, such as a horse’s age, are relevant to this question? My gelding is about 9 years old and does not seem to have health problems beyond being malnourished and having been neglected

Should we act as if he hasn’t had any vaccinations and “start from scratch?” Is there any harm in that