We can’t let up in the battle on animal diseases (From Worcester News)

We can’t let up in the battle on animal diseases

9:31am Monday 19th November 2007

• Print
• Email
• Share

BY and large, the horse community has viewed from a distance the traumas affecting other sections of the livestock world.

While foot-and-mouth, blue tongue and bird flu have seen wholesale slaughter of beasts and birds, the equine industry has so far escaped such carnage.

Obviously a major reason is that the number of horses in the UK is less, and most - barring the wild ponies of the moors - live more individual lives, thus the risk of cross-infection is less than it would be through a flock of sheep or herd of cattle.

But just how careful horse owners need to be will be underlined at a major conference in the Midlands next month, which will look at health issues within the industry and how a mass outbreak of an equine infectious disease should be tackled.

Called Equine Health and Welfare: to Educate is to Understand, the event is being hosted by Lantra Sector Skills Council, the organisation that works for businesses to address skills and training issues, along with the National Equine Welfare Council. It will take place on Tuesday, December 4, at Wroxall Abbey, near Warwick.

Keynote speaker, Professor Derek Knottenbelt, from the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital in Liverpool, will examine the implications of the new Animal Health and Welfare Act for horse owners. At a time of heightened awareness of animal disease, because of blue tongue and foot-and-mouth, Prof Knottenbelt will also talk about how horse owners can improve biosecurity to help safeguard their animals.

The good news is that the UK horse world does not suffer from virulent equivalents of bird flu and most common infectious diseases can be controlled through routine health care and vaccination programmes.

However, that does not mean anyone should be complacent.

The most important infectious disease affecting horses in the UK is strangles and awareness programmes are regularly launched by organisations such as the British Horse Society, so no one should be unaware.

However, it is very contagious, especially with foals and can spread easily from horse to horse leading to outbreaks with many animals affected.

It's a disease of the lymph glands in the throat, leading to a discharge of pus from the nostrils and, while most horses recover, this can take up to three months. Even then, recovered horses can spread the disease for up to eight months, although they appear completely normal.

Another infectious disease is equine influenza, a viral condition that has many characteristics of flu in humans, such as a sudden fever, watery nasal discharge, weakness, loss of appetite and a dry hacking cough.

It can spread rapidly where horses are concentrated, such as at shows or sales. Although it is rarely fatal, there is the risk of serious side-effects such as pneumonia The good news, as with strangles, is that there is a vaccine, so any outbreak should be controllable.

The watchword for combating any disease in horses is vigilance. Even a cursory daily check should tell you if a horse is off colour.

The current in-phrase' is biosecurity, but all that really means is good stable management, something that organisations such as the British Horse Society and the Pony Club have been promoting for decades.

Nevertheless it never hurts to be even better informed. As Elaine Cannon, executive secretary of the National Equine Welfare Council, explained: "In order to deliver good horse health and welfare, everyone involved needs to ensure that they update their knowledge regularly to meet current requirements of horse care standards and the skills needed to meet those requirements."

For more information or if you would like attend the event on Tuesday, December 4, contact Vicky Brewin on 024 7685 8417 or e-mail Vicky.brewin@lantra.co.uk.

Places are limited and work on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Print
• Email
• Share