[VirginiaBred]

Writing a newsletter for a client and will feature this hateful condition.

Tell me your stories & if you vaccinate for it.

Thank you.

[AliCat518]

My 18 y/o TB gelding got the series of shots last year because he was eating round bales. My vet clinic had a case of botulism last year so I wanted to be extra cautious.

My horses will not be eating round bales this year, so none of the others will be getting the series of shots.

[AA Hunter]

I vaccinate mine for botulism routinely.

[Belg]

We do.

[jump4me]

I do, vet reccomended.

[Discobold]

I do. When I moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania in 1992 (!!), the new barn required it. Their vet had lost his horse to botulism, a horrible and expensive death (I can PM you his name, if you want.) Horses can get it from things other than round bales. I've moved barns a few times since then. At my current barn, I'm the only one currently vaccinating for it. I buy the booster online and give it myself.

[morganpony86]

I've debated this one, so I'm interested to hear from those who do.
Is it only for those who feed roundbales? Mine are in stalls & feed from square bales.

I'm one of those who does the minimum vaccines, especially for my older horses. But I've heard botulism is like tetanus- it's deadly, and the vaccine works rather well.

[VirginiaBred]

Apparently the individual I'm doing the newsletter for (a Vet) has had two cases in Virginia of this very recently.

[ponysize]

I never had and probably never will. I don't feed round bales and when I did, I didn't vaccinate for it. I've known of some horses to get super sick from them.

[Zebra Dun]

Yes. Round or square bales - doesn't matter.

[RedMare01]

My last barn required it as they sometimes had round bales out in the wintertime. My mare did fine with the shots, but the vaccine only covers one form of botulism. I recently moved her, and I don't know if I will continue with it next year. Need to do some more research.

[VirginiaBred]

Excellent article: http://www.equinejournal.com/articles/botulism

[Daydream Believer]

No I do not vaccinate and I feed round bales. The risk of an adult horses getting Type B is pretty low and it mainly effects youngsters..which is why the vaccine is generally given to broodmares to provide protection for the foal.

[atr]

I think it depends where you live. My understanding is that it's a good idea in your neck of the woods, but around here--out in the West, in our climate and with our soils, it's not necessary.

[pmysliwski]

Yes. Why take the chance.

[tabula rashah]

Yes, I vaccinate all of my guys. I've always done so but when I worked at New Bolton and saw a couple of horrible cases, I became religious about the vaccines.

And it would really be helpful of people to stop spreading the myth that they can only get it from round bales

[TheOtherHorse]

Yes, I vaccinate for it, and I do not feed round bales. I also think it is more important to vaccinate for depending on your location. When I lived in Michigan I never did, but once I moved to Kentucky I started vaccinating for it. Definitely more prevalent here.

[mswillie]

I vaccinate for it. I did it originally because he was in a less than stellar environment as far as cleanliness goes and even though I've since moved him it's only a one shot a year booster and reasonably inexpensive so I continue with it.

[kcmel]

Yes, it is recommended around here.

[Discobold]

And it would really be helpful of people to stop spreading the myth that they can only get it from round bales

Exactly Old myth from the 80's. We're in 2011. None of the horses I know (or know of) that got botulism were fed round bales.

The risk of an adult horses getting Type B is pretty low and it mainly effects youngsters...

That's what the manager at my barn used to say before she went to a lecture at New Bolton. Before the lecture, I was the only one giving the vaccine. Now they're think about giving it to all the horses. None of the horses I know (or know of) that got botulism were youngsters.

It's "rare" but it's devastating. Right now the booster costs me around $25 a year and has no side effects.