Do NSAIDs affect the Immune Response of Horses to Vaccination?

Vaccination remains a cost-effective and efficient way to prevent infectious diseases in horses. While equine vaccines are safe and effective, adverse reactions to vaccines do occur. Most adverse reactions to equine vaccines typically involve local muscular swelling and soreness and occasionally fever, anorexia and lethargy. Less common are severe reactions at sites of injection which can require prolonged treatment and convalescence. Systemic adverse reactions (such as urticaria, pUlpura hemolThagica or anaphylaxis) rarely occur. It is sometimes recommended that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) be used prior to vaccination in order to reduce the risk of an adverse reaction. While the reasoning behind this may seem sound, such treatments could affect the ability of the horse to respond to the vaccine. Here, we propose to determine the effect ofNSAID treatment on the ability of a commercial equine influenza vaccine to stimulate protective immunity in the horse. Once completed, this study will provide important new information that will allow veterinarians and horse owners to make informed decisions regarding the use of these drugs when vaccinating horses