Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study explored how equine owners decide which diseases their horses are vaccinated for based on their geographic location, the knowledge they have on specific equine diseases, and how much they rely on their veterinarian’s recommendations. A total of 55 horse owners throughout the United States completed an online survey. The results showed that while most owners vaccinate for common core vaccines including West Nile Virus, Tetanus, and Rabies, fewer vaccinated for risk-based vaccines like Leptospirosis. Many owners felt confident in their knowledge of national guidelines for annual core vaccinations, but only a small number of owners were able to correctly identify those core vaccines. The results also showed that geographic location is an important factor in deciding which diseases to vaccinate for and that veterinarians are frequently used as a primary factor in that decision as well. The research emphasized a need for improved owner education and future research regarding how geographical location effects the decision to vaccinate for specific diseases.

Year manuscript completed

2025

Year degree awarded

2025

Degree Awarded

Master of Science

Department

Agriculture

College/School

Hutson School of Agriculture

Thesis Advisor

Kristie B Guffey

Committee Chair

Tara Joiner

Committee Member

Johanna Choate

Committee Member

Laura Ken Hoffman

Document Type

Thesis

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