Rhino shot for pregnant mares

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

My mare was bred in June and the vet confirmed tonight that the breeding took. I know they usually get their Rhino shots the 5th, 7th, and 10th month, some say as much as one month before breeding and third month pregnant on top of 5,7 and 9 month. I am aware that these shots are routine, however I have reservations about giving them. My friend's mare miscarried the day after receiving her Rhino shot(besides that, I always question 'routine' medical treatments:). I researched it on the net, but all I've found is "they must get the shots". No reason why other than possibility of miscarriage if they don't get it (there's a bit of irony). Are these shots really neccasary? What are possible side effects? She is not exposed to many other horses. We do not travel to shows or anything with her. She's from strong stock, always healthy and is in good condition. Her mother did not receive Rhino shots, she was field bred and gave birth to my mare in the field. BTW, I am not against immunizations entirely, all my animals get rabbies shots due to rabies in the area. I do question norms, but am not a fanatic:)

-- Epona (crystalepona2000@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001

Answers

If you bred to an outside stallion, there is sometimes a clause in the contract that states you must immunize the mare or they will not honor their "live foal guarantee" if the mare aborts. I bred my quarter horse mares for years without giving them rhino shots.

-- Deb Foster (DFoster987@aol.com), September 11, 2001.

Thanks for replying Deb. How long have you been breeding? This is my trial run to see if I can handle the responsibility before going into it fulltime and with more expensive horses. There was no contract with the breeding. The stud is a beautiful registered leopard app, but he belongs to a friend who is just getting into it herself so it's an informal arrangement.

-- Epona (crystalepona2000@yahoo.com), September 11, 2001.

I bred my Mammoth jack to my own large broodmare band and also outside mares for quite a spell. The vets always said the rhino shots should be given in the 5th, 7th, and 9th months of the mare's pregnancy. The other innoculations that are given every 6 months were still given on schedule, and so were the dewormings.

There are 2 different rhino shots and the proper one has to be given so the mare does not abort. One shot is to prevent respiratory disease caused by equine herpesvirus and does nothing to prevent abortion. The other shot is to prevent abortion. These are clearly labeled if you're purchasing from an equine catalog.

I am religious with innoculations and dewormings. My mares and those of my clients, all had healthy babies with no problems. Would any of them aborted without the shot? Don't know, but why take the chance :^)

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), September 12, 2001.


My friend did not give the rhino shots to her mare and she slipped the foal. Why take a chance when the shots are less then $10.00 and you can even give them yourself if you are comfortable and experienced. Also another thing you should keep in mind is to fully vacinate a month prior to foaling. This will pass through the mares colestrum to your foal. Worm your mare the day of foaling and it will help with foal scours.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), September 12, 2001.

=== Worm your mare the day of foaling and it will help with foal scours. ===

Tracy, for many years I've dewormed, alternating 3-4 different chemicals, on the first of every other month ~ regardless of due date. I never had a baby scour. My foaling pens were each 1/2 acre....lots of room for the little ones to run around and kick up their hooves. When the foals were 3 weeks old, the mare and foal were turned out with the herd. My 'kids' were on many acres, yet checked often during the day. (They all came up to me as soon as I appeared. Love it!) Yet every outside mare that came into breed and had a foal by her side, that lived in a pen at their home, the foal would scour. I went thru a lot of Kaopectate! It couldn't be coincidence after all those years :^)

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), September 13, 2001.



Rogo, I agree that an outside environment is by far the best choice. I am not a professionale horse breeder. I can only state what I know from first hand experience. Worming the mare with ivermectin the day of foaling and giving the foal oral priobotics will deffinatley have a positive effect. I believe in vacines, the old saying holds true, an ounce of prevention is woth a pound of cure.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), September 14, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ