Routine Care
Keeping horses, ponies and donkeys healthy.
Vaccinations, worming and dental care are at the forefront of every owner's mind when they think of preventative care.
However, we also offer additional services such as: microchipping, passporting and JMB height measurement amongst others.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are an important part of your horse's routine healthcare. They help prevent serious diseases which can have huge welfare and economic implications. The most commonly used vaccinations are for influenza and tetanus, and our vaccination quick guide will give you more information.
Many other diseases may be vaccinated against including Equine Herpes Virus, Strangles, West Nile Virus, Rotavirus and Equine Viral Arteritis.
TETANUS
Protection against tetanus is vital as any wound sustained by your horse could potentially lead to tetanus infection which is life threatening. Thanks to vaccination, tetanus is uncommon but unvaccinated animals are at risk. It is very difficult (and costly) to treat, often resulting in fatalities.
We recommend the combined tetanus and influenza vaccination; but if only tetanus vaccination is requested, this is also available. Any unvaccinated horse that sustains an injury should be given tetanus protection as a matter of urgency to lower the risk of infection.
EQUINE INFLUENZA
Influenza is a viral infection affecting the respiratory system. It can be very debilitating causing high fever, nasal discharge and coughing. Influenza cases do occur in Sussex and vaccination is the main way to control this disease. It is important even for horses that are not competing or mixing with others, particularly veterans, as the virus travels on the wind.
Pregnant mares should be given a booster vaccination within the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, before foaling, so that immunity is passed on to the foal in the mare's colostrum. These protected foals should start their primary course of vaccinations at 5 months of age. Unprotected foals should be given an injection of tetanus antitoxin serum within 24 hours of birth. These foals should have an extra vaccination at 3 months of age, then start their primary course as normal at 5 months old.
We will endeavour to inform you when your horse's boosters are due. However it is the legal responsibility of the owner or trainer to ensure that their horse meets the requirements demanded by the event organising authority for the particular event in which they wish to compete.
Worming
Much information is available about worming your horse; so much so, there is often confusion over how to worm, when to worm, and what to worm with. We have prepared some key facts to help you understand what we are trying to achieve with our advice to you on using anthelmintic drugs (wormers).
Worming Strategies
There are two different ways in which wormers may be used to control disease: by using either interval worming or targeted strategic worming programmes. It is also important to understand how to identify affected horses, so you know which horses need worming and which don't. Regardless of which method you use there are other control methods which must be implemented for any programme to be successful.