Can I Vaccinate My Own Horse?

April 7, 2017

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Some horse owners choose to get vaccines from catalogs or feed stores, and vaccinate their horses themselves. Others may choose not to vaccinate at all. Is that OK?

Assuming that the product is good, has been properly stored, and properly administered, there’s really no reason why a horse owner can’t give his or her own vaccinations. The vaccine doesn’t know whose thumb is at the end of the syringe, after all. The problem is that vaccine companies may not support issues that may occur (vaccine reactions and such) when a vaccine is purchased from a catalog or other source.

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As for not vaccinating at all, that’s not a good idea. Some people seem to have an exaggerated fear of vaccines, but there are certain diseases that horses can get that don’t require them being around other horses (for example, any of the diseases carried by mosquitoes, or tetanus).

If you love your horse, it’s hard to think of a reason why you wouldn’t want to protect him from fatal diseases. Plus, in some cases, vaccination is the law.

This article originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

2 COMMENTS

Mary Jane Kinsey April 9, 2017 at 1:27 pm
I did research on vaccinating own equine, before I did it. It is cheaper and safe and simple if you know what you are doing. I live way out in the country and don’t have the money to call out the vet for everything, so I do it all my self, but just in case I have the vet’s number at hand. I just order them from a catalog, except rabies, and I vaccinate my own dogs and cats too.
Elaine April 10, 2017 at 6:53 am
So long as you know what you are doing. And is stored correctly.