I’ve always had a vet do my vaccines, however this year I bought a broken down old farm and 4 horses so I’d like to save some money and do my own shots on the horses who don’t travel. I have experience giving other types of shots. I’ll have the vet out regardless for coggins.
Where do you get your vaccines from?
Any issues doing it on your own?
Talk to your DVM about buying the vaccine directly from her/him.
I used to do that with some of my clients, because I could be more assured of the handling of the vaccines prior to arrival.
(DVMs can order directly from manufacturer, and the come standard next day with ice packs with no extra charge. As far as I’m concerned, the fewer minimum wage warehouse workers in the mix, the better as the vaccine is more likely to be handled properly.)
I’ve done my own (except for rabies) for years. Have purchased from United Vet Equine and Valley Vet. Think I did Alivet last year. Always shipped overnight with ice. No problems.
I have one that’s sensitive and does best on a specific brand, and I break out the combos as much as possible. The vet doesn’t always use the brand I need.
I’ve also successfully ordered from United Vet Equine. You will have to see if you are allowed to buy rabies in your state or not, and if not, add that to your vet’s coggins visit.
This is the only way I’d ever do vaccines myself.
I don’t trust the average Tractor Supply or Southern States or Farm and Fleet or whomever else, to not only account for cold packs still being cold when vaccines get to their store, but that they are kept cold, and the 36 hour power outage in August didn’t result in warm vaccines. Nope.
40 horses? That might be worth buying from the vet. 4? Not worth it to me when they can be added on to the farm call for rabies and teeth floating.
As well, many (all?) of the drug companies will offer financial support if your horse comes down with at least some of the diseases they were vaccinated for, and the only way they accept proof of that is a vet record of it.
Rabies - not all states allow it to be shipped in, but even for those which do, while it’s legal for you to give that vaccine yourself, no state recognizes a non-vet vaccinated horse as vaccinated, so in the case of exposure, you’re SOL.
I’ve vaccinated my own horses for the last 3 years. I buy from Valley Vet, shipped overnight on ice, always cold on arrival. For 4 horses I’d just order single doses; when I had 8 or 9 horses I bought the multidose vials as it cheaper and kept them refrigerated.
I give a 5-way (Flu, Rhino, Eastern Western EE, Tetanus) and West Nile twice a year. I take a photo of the lot number and expiration date of the vacc; my vet uses this if needed for health documentation (health cert, passport, etc).
I’ve given vax to horses and dog for 25 years. I order from Jeffers vet supply during the cold weather season and store till Spring in the refrigerator. Rabies from the vet during the Coggins and annual exam.
Now is the time to order the Vax.
Having just dealt with a Chlostridium (??) infection from a vet-given tetanus shot, I’d rather just pay the vet to do it. I know it wasn’t anyone’s fault (just a fluke), but I was damn happy I hadn’t given it.
If these horses are new to you. I would have the vet come out for at least the first vaccination round because you don’t want any bad reaction go unnoticed and/or go wrong.
My friend’s very expensive horse almost died from an allergic reaction to a vaccine. The vet was about to leave when he burst into an anaphylactic shock.
You could also talk with your vet about the vaccine that are necessary and those who aren’t in your region.
I have 6 and do everything but rabies myself with the vet’s blessing. I order from either Valley Vet or Jeffers. Vet said I could buy them from them but they mail order from similar sources and don’t really make anything off price matching so it’s easier just to order them myself. And I agree with Hosspuller, order your vax now while it’s cold and get them overnighted to a place where someone will be present to receive them.
PS I would never in a million years buy my vaccines from Tractor Supply or the like
I give my own. While everyone has addressed the “where to buy” question, one thing I’d like to mention is scrubbing the injection site prior to injecting! I’ve had the vet roll his eyes at me (all they ever do is a quick alcohol swab) but in all the years…knock on wood…of giving all kinds of injections, I have never had an abscess. What I do, is use Betadine Surgical Scrub. I use it quite thoroughly with a clean washcloth. I scrub the area, then I give my shot. Even when I had a sick horse requiring multiple shots given daily, I did not have any problems.
I’ve always done my own (purchased from my vet) until the past few years. I have horses all over and it’s just easier for me to have the vets do them now.
It’s been a while since I’ve purchased 10 dose vials, how long are these usually good for? I have a few that I would like to do myself this year but trying to figure out of it’s actually worth it since I don’t have 10 to do.
Back when I had a greater number of horses, I’ve done it, except for rabies.
But I no longer think the cost savings is worth it, especially having only two these days. Having my veterinarian give the vaccinations gets another set of eyes on them, maintains a relationship with the clinic (that can pay off with phone advice that could prevent a clinic visit or farm call, for instance), and the vet has to give the rabies vaccination and pull the Coggins anyway.
I haul to the clinic, which saves the cost of a farm call.
Agree with those saying for 4 rolling the vax cost into a farm call is best.
You need a script for most & won’t save much overall.
Then, if you do end up with a reaction or needle abcess, (my) vet treats that for no add’l farm call charge.
I stopped hauling to his clinic when Every.Single.Time. I ended up waiting an hour or more due to some (small animal) emergency.
I understand delay, and would not want my animals’ treatment cut short to accommodate the next patient.
But if I have to wait, I prefer it be home, where I can get some chores done while waiting.
A script for what? I’ve never needed a script for any vaccine.
My call fee is over $100. The vet comes out for rabies, but WNV, EWT, and PHF are all given separately. Tossing over 300 bucks to the vet just to come out for vaccines is nuts. Not to mention the markup…rabies vax was like $80 a head! Cannot even imagine the cost to have them do it all.
Thanks a lot for sharing this.
@Simkie script for rabies at the least - which in my area is required to be administered by a vet to get the tag.
Mea Culpa, but it’s been so long since I considered ordering, catalogs mentioned needing a script from your vet.
My farm call charge was $75 (vet of 20yrs just retired his equine practice - new vet will be here in April). Charge is not per horse.
All vax I give are done in the one visit - Spring & Fall.
My bill for 3 - including wellness exam, vax & farm call - does run around $300.
But I can manage that twice a year.
Retail for vax is pretty close to what vet charged.
I just prefer having eyes on my horses ensuring I’m not overlooking anything or being able to ask about anything I feel NQR in person rather than over the phone.
@2DogsFarm I don’t think a single state requires a script for rabies. It’s either allowed to be sold (no script needed) or not. No state recognizes owner given rabies. A script isn’t going to get you rabies if your state says it can’t be sold to you.
Sure, if your horses can tolerate all the vaccines in one day, and your call fee is reasonable, and the markup is reasonable, and the vet uses a brand that works for your horses, there’s very little impetus to do your own. Don’t think most people in this thread have it all line up like that, hence the question.
I’ve been doing my own for, geez, maybe a decade? I’ve never had a problem. Cost savings wasn’t the initial reason for going that route, but it’s certainly a bonus now.
At least a couple states requires scripts just for the needles/syringes to give the vaccines
Sure. New York and New Jersey are a couple, iirc? But it appears you can still order the pre filled single dose vaccines there without an RX.
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