Cost of living crisis blamed for drop in equine vaccination rate
Prevention is better than cure Webinar: An essential look at equine vaccinations and what is needed
Protecting our horse’s health with an effective vaccination programme could be key to keeping expensive veterinary bills at bay.
Last year’s National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) survey of over 6,000 horse owners on the impact of the cost of living, revealed 7.1 per cent of us were reducing or stopping vaccinations to save money.
These statistics raised real concerns over the impact this false economy could have on the welfare of the equine population, as well as individual animals.
World Horse Welfare’s Education Officer Rebecca Boulert said: “We know from the survey and from talking to horse owners that many are considering reducing the use of routine preventative care, such as vaccinations in response to the increased cost of living. Our concern is that this could leave equines vulnerable to compromised welfare.
“Prevention is naturally better and cheaper than cure, which is why we would encourage owners to attend this webinar where our expert guests can help them make informed decisions around vaccinating their horses.
“There will also be a chance to ask questions at the end, so please do join us to hear more on this important subject.”
The importance of routine vaccinations to protect horses from disease will be discussed by vet Philip Ivens, MA VetMB CertEM (Int Med) DipECEIM MRCVS, on Wednesday, February 12 at 7pm.
Philip brings a wealth of knowledge as director of Buckingham Equine with a specialist interest in equine internal medicine, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and oncology.
He has also lectured on infectious diseases in the UK and aboard, published on equine infectious diseases and written several chapters in veterinary textbooks.
Philip will explore a range of diseases which could affect a horse’s health, and the role vaccines play in preventing them, including influenza, tetanus, equine herpes virus and strangles.
He will be joined by British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Veterinary Projects Officer, Lucy Grieve MA, VetMB, MRCVS, to answer questions from the audience in a live Q&A.
This event is free but anyone wishing to attend must register in advance.