I have 14 horses and live in upstate NY. Potomac has killed some local horses unfortunately and I want to vaccinate my herd. Any suggestions on the most effective vaccine? Thank you.
Can’t help you with a vaccine. All the horses we know that got Potomac WERE vaccinated! It seems the vaccine cannot keep up with the virus mutations. Each year it is “new” again. We don’t vaccinate for Potomac anymore. We listen if folks nearby are getting it, pay attention to the horses to see symptoms and call the Vet. Treatment is very effective, especially when caught early. We have had one horse get it here and one horse get it at the Trainer’s barn. She had told us Potomac “was in the area” and was watching all her horses carefully for symptoms. Both kept eating during treatment of daily Vet visits for several days. Not a lot of food, but continuous intake. Very important to have intake so the sickness does not start using muscle to live on. One tip the Vet gave us was to feed Calf Manna, most horses love it! Ours did eat it to keep her going.
Treatment is very effective. I would read up on symptoms, keep my eyes open watching your herd. The gelding at the Trainer was just droopy, not eating that morning, unlike himself. She called Vet immediately. Horse at home was in her stall, saw her poop as I left the barn. Two hours later walking by her, she was squirting green flecked clear liquid from her anus. Yikes! That HAS to be a Vet issue, so I called immediately. Vet was right out, suspected Potomac and treated horse for it. So maybe 4 hours in? Vet had been treating a number of Potomac cases, but all 20-30 miles away. Mare was the only one who got sick from that field. Wet times, so we moved other horses to a drier field.
Snails seem to be the current suspected carriers, so wet ground MIGHT be a problem source of snails.
Best of luck avoiding the problem!
The PHF vaccine has only ever been around 75% effective, because there are many more strains than the vaccine targets.
But it’s also been proven, like with many vaccines, that being vaccinated can somewhat to greatly reduce the severity of symptoms if the disease is contracted. That alone makes the PHF vaccine worth it if it’s a problem in your area.
Even then, start medicating ASAP if symptoms show up - fever, lethargy, off food - without waiting for a definitive diagnosis, but also still work on a diagnosis (ie get blood drawn asap) in case it’s something else you need to treat differently.
AFAIK, there’s only 1 PHF vaccine, from BI. At least, only 1 standalone. The other is combined with rabies, and studies show that the single vaccine produces more immunity than the combo.
I would definitely vaccinate, because treating unvaccinated horses who tend to get much sicker, faster, can get really expensive in a hurry
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Why not call up your vet and ask what vaccine they recommend? They might also be willing to sell it to you.
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You are in upstate NY? Why not contact Cornell Vet Hospital or ask your vet to do so? I am in downstate NY, but my vet is an alum, and he readily contacts the hospital if he has questions.
My vet is Cornell ambulatory. In the past they didn’t really push it. It sounds like I need to vaccinate asap. Thanks so much!
