En jämförelse av hästens allmäntillstånd efter första respektive revaccination med EHV vaccin

Abstract: Equine herpesvirus (EHV) is a common virus in horse populations around the world. The condition is counted as a notifiable disease in Sweden. There are currently nine different types. EHV-1,4 are the two most common types causing diseases in horses. The condition causes respiratory infections, abortion and/or neurological disease. The virus is primarily an airborne infection and is spread through droplet infections. Symptoms by EHV can be fever, decreased appetite, tiredness, coughing, abnormal breathing sounds, swelling in the limbs and ataxic in horse’s hind legs. Today there is one vaccine available in Sweden against EHV-1,4. Most horses around the world suffer from EHV. Equip EHV-1, 4 is a vaccine, developed to create immunization of the disease. There are few studies done on this subject. The purpose of this study was to find out if there are differences in general condition between already vaccinated horses and horses immunize with EHV-1,4 for the first time. To fulfill the study twenty trotting horses were used from the Swedish National Trotting School, Wången. Ten of twenty horses had been vaccinated before. A clinical protocol of a horse grooms view on the horse general condition was assembled, and two standardized work tests were conducted as a potential method of finding subclinical symptoms. The result of the study showed differences in general conditions between previously vaccinated horses and horses immunize for the first time. All horses except two showed an increase in body temperature after vaccination. The vaccine had no obvious effect on the appetite of the horses, but water consumption decreased. Inoculating on a Friday after training and training the horse high intensively again on Monday is practicable and possible. The result of the work tests showed no negative effects on the horse's heartrate when resting, working or recovering. In this study the horse’s general conditions were examined before and after vaccination based on several different clinical signs. The results indicate that the vaccine had no adverse effect on the horse’s general condition. Horse owners, trainers and grooms should therefore not be afraid to vaccinate their horses with Equip EHV-1, 4.