[aspenlucas]

In the past I've always given my horses their own vaccinations. However recently we've started to board. What is the protocol for vaccinations and boarders horses. Would you not even touch it? Have the vet out to do them? Some boarders are telling me where they have boarded the stable has always done the routine vaccines. Realize I would not charge any more for the vaccines then the actual cost of them. So I would not be "practicing veterinary medicine".

One of my boarders is also a vet tech. She had mentioned learning that minis can get 3/4 a full dose and that for the horse's system and ability to use the vaccines it would be better to space them out throughout a few weeks. Do 4 way one week, rabies two weeks later, WNV/PHF even later. I agree with this and wonder if anyone else does this? This IS a positive to giving your own vaccines, you don't have three farm calls.

[csaper58]

I think if you are going to vacc. any horse that is not yours, you need liability insurance, and make sure you are covered for giving shots it is a 'special liability' floater. Horses can have very bad reactions, just search the forum. Also you would need to have meds for anaphylaxis close by just incase. In my state no health certificate can be given for home vacc. horses, and rabbies must be given by a vet. I personally would not vacc. other horses.

[aspenlucas]

I think if you are going to vacc. any horse that is not yours, you need liability insurance, and make sure you are covered for giving shots it is a 'special liability' floater. Horses can have very bad reactions, just search the forum. Also you would need to have meds for anaphylaxis close by just incase. In my state no health certificate can be given for home vacc. horses, and rabbies must be given by a vet. I personally would not vacc. other horses.

Well that wouldn't be worth it! My vet has always issued a health certificate and you just tell them what date the shots were given. An option can always be to purchase the vaccines together and have the owners give the shots on their own. Then no liability would be needed. Though I know at college and boarding if my horses needed banamine the barn owner gave it. Not sure they had a floating policy for that.

[deltawave]

I have given my own vaccines, although I prefer a vet to do it because I like to have a vet look my horses over 1-2x per year anyway and I think it fosters a good relationship with one's vet.

I would not want to have boarders who had no vet of their own and left everything up to me! That's a little too "hands off" for my comfort level.

[aspenlucas]

The vet still comes out to see my horses and the boarder's horses for coggins and rabies. I won't do those, but for 4 or 5 way, PHF, WNV, routine vaccines.....

[deltawave]

Ah, I get it. Depends on your comfort level, I guess. I would prefer to do my own rather than someone else, unless the "someone else" is a vet. And I would very definitely prefer to NOT do someone else's horses, unless it were giving a tetanus booster in an emergency or something.

[aspenlucas]

Ah, I get it. Depends on your comfort level, I guess. I would prefer to do my own rather than someone else, unless the "someone else" is a vet. And I would very definitely prefer to NOT do someone else's horses, unless it were giving a tetanus booster in an emergency or something.

I'm sort of leaning toward this too...if the boarder is comfortable I will allow them to do their own horse, if they are not, the vet does it. Each boarder will be seen by the vet for rabies/coggins.

Now I'm curious on the spacing of the shots. I've never thought of that, but it does make sense. You know when the vet comes out and does a 5 way, PHF, WNV, Rabies, that is a lot on your horse at once. I also never heard about minis getting 3/4 a shot.

[csaper58]

Also, Vets get notified if there is a problem with a batch of vacc. so try to by shots from the vet. Banamine is tricky, many people give it IM but a friend just had a horse die of Chlostidium which is on the banamine lable as possible when the drug is given in muscle. It was a Horrible way for that horse to die!
Don't know anything about spacing shots, But a 'Shot Party' at the barn sounds fun.

[walktrot]

I run a barn day every year for the other boarders where I am. Gets the barn call cost down to about $15 per owner. We also have the dentist there. The b/o usually buys her vaccines from the vet and gives them to her horses herself. It's to her advantage also that we have the dentist.

A few of the kids like to take the day off from school. The vet and dentist are both terrific about answering questions and letting them watch everything. It's really neat to see the look on a kid's face when they hear their horse's heart beating or stare up into their mouth and see all of those molars.

[ActNatural]

I used to do my own shots. I really found that there wasnt really much cost difference vs having the vet do them unless I was the only person covering the farm call.

[deltawave]

I only space out shots on individuals that seem to have a problem with getting all of them at once. That included my Shetland who had a mild gas colic after routine shots right after I got her. She was also pregnant and had lice at the time, so she had a lot going on! That's 6 years ago now--she's gotten all her shots in a bunch the last several times with no troubles.

[candyappy]

When I boarded the vet came out to do the coggins and shots all at once, charging one farm call split between all getting vaccines. Some people got quite a few vaccines all at once, but it is nice to have the vet there if a horse does have a reaction.

[Ghazzu]

Check your state veterinary practice act.
It mayl give you enough information to decide whether you're technically practicing without a license if you do someone else's stock and money changes hands.
Most likely a vanishingly low enforcement priority until and unless an adverse event takes place.
The same boarder who wanted you to do it to save $$ may come after you if something goes wrong and they incur a big bill or a dead horse.

[JSO]

If there is a problem with the vaccine such as it causes an adverse reaction or does not work, the vaccine company will usually help cover costs/ care and investigate the problem ONLY if given by a veterinarian.
Also, vaccine reactions are not common, but I wouldn't want to be responsible for causing a reaction in someone else's horse and not be able to treat that reaction.