Administering vaccines yourself and competing at USEF events

[DressageLin]

I board in an area that is not very horsey. There is one vet that will travel 1.5 hour to our barn, and I have used him for the last ten years, even though I have no been entirely comfortable with his care or ethics. I recently had some interactions that have sealed the deal for me that I will not use this vet any longer. I have called every practice I know of and no one wants to travel to this area (and especially not for one horse understandably.) I travel for clinics and shows a good bit, so I definitely want my horse on a regular vaccine schedule.

Given that the option is currently to trailer 1.5 hours each way while taking time off from work to get routine vaccines or administer myself, I am considering the latter. I have given adequan, etc. IM for years and have administered some drugs IV (although not often enough to feel entirely comfortable).

What are the advantages and disadvantges of taking on the role of self-administering the vaccines? I worry about the case of a reaction an also meeting USEF requirements of proving administration.

Thoughts? Should I just suck it up and drive every 6 months to the clinic?

[Dutchmare433]

Well, unless you’re going to draw blood for the Coggins yourself, you’re going to have to make the trip once a year anyway. Why not do the Coggins and a few vaccines in one trip (maybe Rabies and Flu/Rhino…those are the only ones I can think of that potentially need verification that they were given/given by a vet). You can give the rest yourself, and probably do the fall vaccines yourself…at least here, we only do Flu/Rhino and sometimes WNV in the fall.

[CHT]

I always have the vet do my vaccines. Saved me a bunch of $$$ a few years ago when my horse got sick: the vaccine company paid for some of the diagnostics as her illness appeared to be something she was vaccinated for.

I assume you get your horse’s teeth done? Perhaps vaccinate at the same time?

I believe though, that for showing purposes, having proper records of vaccines and their stickers, should be enough, but that would be a question to ask USEF.

[JB]

Vet records are the only officially recognized vaccination records. There may be smaller organizations which allow proof of vac if you have the receipt, but you’d really have to address that with each management.

DIY is peace of mind for yourself, but when it comes to rabies, there is no such thing as an owner-vaccinated horse in the eyes of the law. If there’s a rabies exposure situation, if there is no vet record, there is no vaccination, which means $$$ quarantine (if your state even allows that) or euth

I agree that if you are showing at a level where a current Coggins is required, you MUST have a vet do that anyway, so use that time to get the core vaccines done (EEE, WEE, WNV, rabies, tetanus) and any risk-based vaccines (flu/rhino, PHF, whatever).

Then if you live where the climate is warmer, you can DIY on the EEE/WEE/WNV vaccines.