West Nile Season Approaching

Last year, I didn't really think about what it was going to cost to get my animals vaccinated, I just called my vet and made an appointment. The equines all got West Nile and all the encephalitis shots and the canines and felines got rabies shots. When he was done, he sat in his truck and calculated the bill while I went to get the checkbook.

"How much should I make this out for, Doc?"

"$653."

I was sure I didn't hear him correctly, but he repeated the same number the second time. It just wouldn't register in my brain. I asked him to check the decimal placement. He confirmed that it was really a three figured number. It hurt to write that check.

This year, I don't have a spare six-hundred-dollar-bill so I have been thinking about what to do. Most of the people I know with horses just don't bother getting them vaccinated. If they die, so be it. That's just not my style. I believe in vaccinations. This year, as wet as it is now, could be mosquito boom-times. Even last fall, they were dreadful until the frost took them out. I was glad they were vaccinated.

You can order West Nile vaccine over the internet. In looking at prices, if the only thing you wanted to do was West Nile, it would cost about $14 plus shipping. If you want to do the whole thing, you can go with the West Nile Innovator w/VEWT for about $19 plus shipping. Last year I paid about $40/equine. The savings is going to be significant.

Here is the link to Fort Dodge West Nile Vaccination page. You have to go to companies that sell their products to purchase the vaccines such as United Vet Equine, or HorseVaccines4Less. United is cheaper.

It would be wonderful if no horses in the Four Corners died of these diseases this year, but that is probably not realistic. I can make sure that at least mine are safe.