Keeping Your Horses Free of Equine Influenza
Equine Influenza - There are some basic steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of Equine Influenza (EI) affecting your horses. These are simple measures to implement and can often be overlooked!
Putting these practices into place will reduce the chance of your horse/s catching EI, of introducing it to your property and spreading it to other horses.
SUSCEPTIBLE STOCK
EI affects horses in a similar way as the “common flu” affects humans. EI is easily transmitted, and produces a range of clinical signs such as high temperature, coughing, runny nose, etc. Young, pregnant, nutritionally and/or physically stressed, and older horses are more susceptible to EI, and some of these animals might die. The majority of horses will eventually recover.
AWARENESS
Ensure all staff are aware of the methods for the prevention, identification and control of EI.
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
Isolate new arrivals from resident horses for at least 10 days. Pay particular attention to horses that have come from large sales, have been transported over long distances by commercial transport or recently returned from events. (Where space limits the isolation of introductions, pay more attention to good hygiene, handling them last and checking their temperatures daily).
Isolate horses at the first sign of sickness until EI has been ruled out.
Keep sick horses’ tack and associated gear separate from others.
Handle, feed and water any sick horses last. If possible, use separate staff and equipment.
Do not move sick horses except for veterinary treatment or under veterinary supervision.
Avoid the use of communal watering troughs.
Avoid visiting other properties where horses are kept. Do not let other horses come in contact with your animals – you do not know where they have been. Record all personnel entering your property and where they have previously been, for the purposes of tracing.
HORSE MANAGEMENT
If horses are stabled, take daily rectal temperatures. A fever immediately suggests there is something wrong.
Keep records of movements of horses and semen so contacts can be traced in the event of a disease outbreak.
CLEANLINESS
Regularly clean and disinfect stables, equipment and transport vehicles. Remove as much soil and organic material as possible before disinfecting.
Clean, then disinfect equipment such as tooth rasps, stethoscopes, stomach tubes, endoscopes and twitches between use on different groups of horses.
Wash hands between handling groups of horses.
Use separate protective clothing and footwear when handling any sick horses. Wash these clothes and footwear with disinfectant to ensure cleanliness. Remember to attend to sick horses last, or totally separately.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Keep boundary fences in good condition. Barriers such as double fencing and tree plantations increase perimeter security.
Contact your private veterinarian or government veterinarian immediately if you suspect your horse/s has symptoms of EI. Or phone the Emergency Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.