Vaccination

Vaccinating foals

Foals need to vaccinated for Eastern and Western Encephalitis, Tetnus, and West Nile Virus. If the mare has had good care, she received vaccines for these diseases 4-6 weeks before foaling. In this case, the foal needs his first vaccine at about 4 months of age. The foal will need a booster 3-4 weeks later to insure full immunity from the vaccine. If the mare was not vaccinated, the foal will need to be vaccinated in the first month of life. This needs to be followed by booster shots 3 to 4 weeks later, and another at 6 months of age. It is done this way because if the mare is vaccinated, she will pass the immunity on to the foal. As the foals get older, the maternal antibodies start to fade, and that is when the foal needs the vaccine. The maternal antibodies start to fade between 4 and 6 months of age. This is why the first vaccine is given at this time.