Vaccinating for Lyme?

[Rhymes_W_Orange]

I see there are some older posts on this, so sorry if anyone is annoyed by bringing it up again - but can anyone weigh in on a few questions?

• has anyone been vaccinating for Lyme with the canine vaccine? Any issues with it?
• does a horse need to be tested prior or is that just so there is a baseline “score”?
• has anyone vaccinated a horse that previously has had Lyme disease? I often see it is “not recommended” and that takes me back to the previous question. I know one of ours has had it, but not the others. One other was tested and it was negative for exposure.

Ticks are becoming incredibly prevalent in our area and we keep finding them on the horses. One of our horses had to be treated for it last year (multiple tests and retests). If there is a possibility of preventing it, it seems well worth it. However, I get a lot of conflicting information even between vets.

Thanks!

[Simkie]

Oh, super interested to hear the responses here. Something I’ve been considering as well!

[Posting_Trot]

Yes, I’ve vaccinated two different horses that I’ve owned with the canine vaccine. I never had any issues with the vaccine itself causing problems.

The horses don’t need to be tested first; the newer Cornell test is able to differentiate between a horse that has antibodies consistent with vaccination and a horse that has an active infection.

The first horse that I had vaccinated was a horse that had been treated for Lyme disease previously. The vaccine never caused her any problems. I’ll add, however, that the vaccine did not completely prevent her from subsequent cases of Lyme disease. Whether these subsequent cases were re-infections or a result of the disease never having completely cleared from her system is an open question.

My understanding is that the canine vaccine only works for about 6 months in horses (I haven’t looked into this recently, though, and maybe the info has changed).

My current horse I have vaccinated with the Lyme vaccine every spring for the past 4 years, and she’s never had the disease. So, fingers crossed!

[joiedevie99]

One of mine is vaccinated. Yes, we ran a Lyme test first.

[JB]

@Posting_Trot

I’ll add, however, that the vaccine did not completely prevent her from subsequent cases of Lyme disease. Whether these subsequent cases were re-infections or a result of the disease never having completely cleared from her system is an open question.

Most likely, the second case was a relapse. Unless caught really early and treated pretty aggressively, and maybe not even always then, Lyme tends to be a lifelong (potential) issue, and can flare up under stress

[Posting_Trot]

Yes, I’m reasonably certain that it was a flare-up of the previous infection that never really cleared. She was likely suffering with Lyme for probably at least a year before it was diagnosed–this was before some vets believed that Lyme was a problem for horses.

Anyway, it’s a terrible disease and it’s worth taking whatever measures you’re comfortable with to prevent your horse (or yourself, or your family members, or your dog!) from being infected in the first place.

[Snowdenfarm]

And how are they dosing? I was at a vet seminar and the Zoetis vet said it takes three loading doses for horses. He said vets can call the Zoetis Immunology Department for dosages and timing.

[Rhymes_W_Orange]

Thanks for the insight. It helps to hear what others have done and had success or not with. The ticks are astounding this year and it just warmed up. A friend that lives nearby went hiking with her dog (with tick repellant) and came back covered with ticks and we know at least one horse contracted it but fortunately responded to treatment and has not had a flare up. We went with the Cornell multiplex test the second time we tested for it.