TEXAS EQUINE VETERINARY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON VACCINATION OF ADULT NON-BREEDING EQUINE IN 2023

In safeguarding the health and well-being of equine populations, vaccination practices stand as a cornerstone of preventive veterinary care. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify the recommended vaccination protocols for core antigens (Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, Rabies, Tetanus, and West Nile virus), Equine Influenza virus (EIV), and Equine Herpes virus (EHV) by equine or mixed-practice Texas Equine Veterinary Association (TEVA) members in 2023, and 2) examine the demographics of veterinarians and compare vaccination recommendations based on demographics, and 3) explore and analyze the factors that influence a veterinarian’s decisions around vaccine usage. The West Texas A&M University Institutional Review Board reviewed and approved the survey (#2023.08.005, Vaccination Recommendations by Veterinarians in Texas to Determine Vaccine Effectiveness on Adult Non-breeding Equine). This study was conducted in partnership with the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Education, Research, and Outreach (VERO) campus in Canyon, TX. Five hundred TEVA members were surveyed between November 1 to 14, 2023. A total of 39 respondents filled out the survey, achieving a response rate of 7.8%. All respondents filled out both sections of the provided survey. All responses were exported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and imported into RStudio version 4.3.2 to conduct statistical analyses. A Chi-square test was conducted to test whether the distribution of responses for a particular question was even or not. A Fisher's Exact test was run to determine whether there was a significant association between the vaccination perspectives and demographics. The findings regarding core vaccination recommendations indicated that 92.3% of respondents advocated for administering an initial dose of vaccine for all core antigens to horses lacking a vaccination history, followed by a vaccination booster dose within 3 to 4 wk. Additionally, 95% of respondents agreed on an annual vaccination for horses with a history of core vaccination. Findings regarding EHV vaccination recommendations indicated that 82% of respondents advocated administering an initial dose of the EHV vaccine to horses without a vaccination history of EHV. Findings regarding EIV vaccination recommendation indicated that 76.9% of respondents advocated for administering an initial dose of EIV vaccine to horses without a vaccination history of EIV. Findings regarding the preferred type of vaccine for EIV resulted in 59.0% expressing a preference for the inactivated form (IM) of EIV. Findings regarding the preferred type of vaccine for EHV resulted in 79.5% expressing a preference for the inactivated form (IM) of EHV. Overall, this study suggests that horses in Texas are receiving the AAEP vaccine protocols for both core and risk-based vaccines due to TEVA respondents adhering to the AAEP guidelines.