Q: Why do some vets vaccinate horses in different parts of the body, such as the chest and hindquarters, rather than just the neck?
A: Most equine vaccinations need to be given by injection into the muscle. It doesn’t really matter which muscle it is, but larger muscle groups are commonly used as there’s more space for any swelling that results, and they’re a bigger target!
The neck, hindquarter and chest are easily accessible areas that most horses are pretty comfortable with when having injections.
Many vets use the side of the neck to vaccinate horses, but the disadvantage is that if the horse has any swelling after the injection, he might have a stiff neck, causing him to struggle to eat. For this reason, some vets prefer the chest or the hindquarters for vaccination, as there is more space to accommodate any swelling, and any stiffness is likely to be less of an issue.
Sometimes, sites are selected because they may be safer to use in horses that are not keen on injections (or vets in general!). For example, horses who barge or kick out may be more easily injected into the hindquarters over a door to ensure both the handler and the vet can remain safe.