Teeth and vax on same day

[sascha]

Just curious if other folks are getting, not exactly pushback, but the strong suggestion of doing two separate appointments for spring shots and teeth?

I’ve had a couple people mention to me that their vet had suggested two separate appointments, but hadn’t run into it myself until this spring. I declined. I’ve owned the beast for many years and have (KNOCK ON WOOD BECAUSE HORSES CAN READ THE INTERNET!!!) had zero issues.

Anyway, I just mentioned I’d prefer one appointment and that my horse has been fine with this protocol for many years. No problem, we set up a single appointment.

Note, I don’t do strangles vax, so that’s not the potential issue with wanting to separate things from each other.

So, all that said, what do you think the reason is for this protocol change? Have you had it suggested by your vet’s office? How did you choose to handle it?

[trubandloki]

I divide spring shots into two appointments. At one of those two appointments the horse also gets sedated and their teeth done.

My vet has not suggested that the dental needs to be separated into its own appointment.

[Pico_Banana]

I do thee same as @trubandloki

[Heinz_57]

My vet’s office hasn’t done that, and I usually do them myself (minus rabies), but if you are having the vet do the vax because you are concerned with possible reactions:

Better to do the vax separately. If they are done in conjunction with any other vet work, the vaccine manufacturer will not necessarily cover 100% of the bill for any negative reaction. In my situation, they paid about 1/3 of the total bill.

[Texarkana]

I always do teeth at the same time as vaccines, but my vet only does rabies. I do all the rest.

[beowulf]

My equine vet thankfully doesn’t push back on these kinds of requests, they are cost conscious and will leave some (*not all) vax with owners too.

My small animal vet is a different story. I get more guilt-tripping from small animal vets than my horse vet.

[sascha]

@Heinz_57

if you are having the vet do the vax because you are concerned with possible reactions

Nope. I’d probably do the poking myself if it were legal here, but it’s not.

[cayuse]

I’ve never had a vet suggest I do teeth and vax on different days, but this is exactly what I’ve been doing the last few years because my current ponies are hothouse flowers and react to every little thing.

[Demerara_Stables]

I’ve never had a vet suggest either way, but I always separate everything as much as possible. I do my own R/F, but the vet leaves the others (minus rabies) for me to give a week later. Dentals are usually done in the summer along with any other bloodwork/rechecks/etc.

I’m also fortunate to have one vet for all but one horse on my property, so there’s usually ample opportunity to tack on to another farm call if I need something done.

[mmeqcenter]

Some vets have some interesting approaches. A friend uses a vet who simply will not do a combo-vax (like a 5-way), they will only do each vaccination individually because they think they’re less effective in the combo-form. I didn’t bother asking if they do them all at one visit or not; I don’t see any reason for my horse to be pricked four times more than necessary, so did not use them.

[endlessclimb]

Our vet has a “special” on dentals if you do them during the “special month”. That’s how he sort-of forces doing it on different days.

[candyappy]

@sascha

Nope. I’d probably do the poking myself if it were legal here, but it’s not.

You can’t vaccinate your own animals for routine things? Rabies I am aware of but never heard of basic, routine vaccines having to be vet administered?

What state are you in??

There are certain cases where my vet wants to do teeth separately. I do all my own vaccines but maybe it is an issue if the horse is older or the vet feels it is best to wait when sedation is being used on that particular visit.

[Jarpur]

I use a equine veterinarian dentist specialist for dentals, so it’s a non-issue. Usual vet will take a look at teeth during an annual exam, just in case, but it’s been decades since I relied on a regular general practice vet for teeth.

I think it makes a difference to use a dentist. A couple of friends bring their horses over, and we all split the farm call. We each receive reports with any findings, annotated drawings of our horses’ mouths, sedation amount/cost broken out, etc. Vet will check for beans if desired, since horses are sedated, or pull blood for a Coggins, etc., for an additional fee.

[Simkie]

I also use a vet dental specialist for dentistry rather than a generalist, so vaccines and dentistry are separate.

If I were using the same person for both, would I separate…? Hmmm. My horses generally tolerate rabies vaccination well, so I might not. I do the remainder of their vaccines myself. I don’t think I’d do dentistry and all the vaccines all in one go.

[sascha]

@mmeqcenter

I don’t see any reason for my horse to be pricked four times more than necessary, so did not use them.

What? You don’t want the risk of injection site issues from half a dozen or more injections when you could get away with two?

[sascha]

@Simkie

I don’t think I’d do dentistry and all the vaccines all in one go.

Why not? I’m interested to know where/what the tipping point is between doing rabies and teeth, and rabies, teeth, and the remaining core vax.

[Simkie]

@sascha

Why not? I’m interested to know where/what the tipping point is between doing rabies and teeth, and rabies, teeth, and the remaining core vax.

It just seems like a lot for the horse. You’re challenging the immune system in several different ways. Adding in dentistry is an additional stress, that may also challenge the immune system, or stress the immune system in a way where perhaps it’s not responding at 100%. At the very least, the more things that are added and done in one day, the greater chance that any one of those multiple things will make a horse feel cruddy. If they’re all done together, you also don’t necessarily know which was the problem if the horse does turn up puny later.

I can’t point to any studies or data backing this up, I’m just going off my “feel” of it. I have a horse with a history of vaccine reaction, so I may be more careful regarding this sort of thing than someone without that sort of history.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Nope. My vet does teeth (power tools w sedation), Tet/Strangles 2-in-1, and Hendra HeV all in one hit. Plus a microchip if required.

[GreyDes]

My vet strongly recommends doing teeth (sedation & power float) separately from vaccines. They feel like it’s extra stress on their immune system to do both at the same time.

My vet practice is generally rational in their approach and very good about offering cost conscious options so I’ve never pushed back on it. The price difference is an extra farm call, so it’s not huge and it seems like a reasonable precaution.

I’m curious if anyone’s seen data supporting either method?

[Kyrabee]

I do both the same day. Current mare has never had any problems with vaccinations. My last mare…no way. She was very reactive (to Rhino/flu) and I always spread her vaccines out over about 6 weeks.

Susan