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Original poster

Equine Influenza

25 replies

Jappydooda · 07/02/2019 13:34

Has everyone seen the news about confirmed cases of EA?

Just checked the BEF website and they are saying if your horse/pony had it's vax for EI more than 6 months ago, you should get a booster done with the Florida Clade 1 strain in it.

We have confirmed cases in Lincolnshire, so getting all the horses that need it done next week.

OP posts:
OldSpeclkledHen · 07/02/2019 13:48

I see racing have cancelled all four race meets today because of the outbreak... It's a little worrying 😳

elloelloello · 08/02/2019 11:14

It is quite worrying.

Our vet advises they use the Proteq vaccine which does include the Florida Clade 1 strand, so if your vet used that vaccine, you should be OK - there’s 1 more but I can’t remember the name

DD’s pony had it in August, which is just on the cusp of the 6 months, but she’s an older lady so I’m wavering as to whether to give her the booster just in case. We don’t have any confirmed cases near us fortunately.

WhyDidIEatThat · 08/02/2019 13:30

I’ve just boosted mine, apparently if the flu outbreak continues for another six months they’ll need to be topped up again in six months instead of the usual year.

Original poster
Jappydooda · 11/02/2019 14:21

There are 3 strains of the flu at the moment. As far as I know, 4 horses have been pts because of the severity of the symptoms, 3 unvaxed and one vaxed.

Interestingly, Simon Knapp (my old vet) was on BBC Breakfast this morning and he was saying that only 30% of the horse population in the UK is vaccinated against Equine Flu.

OP posts:
Megan2018 · 11/02/2019 14:28

We are having the boosters at the yard this week - everything done more than 6 months ago is being re-done en masse.
I'm happy to do it - my girl is nearly 21 and I'd rather take no chances.

As there are lots to be done as a job lot we aren't being charged call-out so it's worth a few £ to have them done.

We're in Leics and nothing confirmed very near to us but better safe than sorry I think.

Vaccinations are compulsory on our yard but I imagine a lot of non competing horses kept at home aren't, which is frightening!

elloelloello · 11/02/2019 16:27

Our vet was up our yard this morning for someone else so got her to give DD’s pony her booster while she was there.

We don’t have any local cases yet fortunately

elloelloello · 11/02/2019 16:32

30% of the horse population in the UK is vaccinated against Equine Flu.

Half of our yard isn’t vaccinated

DD’s pony is 19 and when she had her last jab, we were advised not to bother anymore

I’m not taking any chances, she doesn’t have a reaction to the jab or anything and we normally arrange for several of us to have it done at the same time so we split the call out fee, I’d rather be safe than sorry

Koshgosh · 11/02/2019 21:50

Without a proper plan I can't see it not spreading. Racing may have stopped for now, but shows are still continuing,so is hunting, so is hacking. No horse will be leaving my yard for the next couple of weeks, but the yard close to me has horses coming and going all the time. My farrier said today that he's not had any update on the situation

EmmaC78 · 13/02/2019 10:09

There has been a confirmed case about 20 miles away from me in Scotland unfortunately.

FanFckingTastic · 13/02/2019 12:27

I think that there are cases in my county (Kent) now too. It's a bit worrying! I'm not sure where it is though so no idea how close to our yard it is. Ponio is having a booster done today, along with some other horses that are over 6 months from last vaccination date. All horses on our yard are covered but I'm shocked by how many animals are not vaccinated. We are not going anywhere in the next couple of weeks but were planning to get out and start competing in March - really not sure what to do now!

Pleasedontdothat · 13/02/2019 13:10

We’ve just had a message from Pony Club saying that horses/ponies will have to stay on their transport with ramp up until their passport has been checked for up to date vaccination for any rallies or competitions for the foreseeable future. Dhorse had a six month booster last week and next trip out is next week so fingers crossed he should be fine

EmmaC78 · 13/02/2019 16:46

I think part if the issue is that the strain of the flu virus has come from North America so is not covered by a lot of current vaccines. My friend is a vet and is going to re-vaccinate all of hers with another type of flu vaccine but the general message seems to be as long as they are vaccinated at all then it will give some degree of immunity.

whymewhyme · 13/02/2019 19:58

Horses have had flu for years in unvaccinated and vaccinated horses, horses don't die of flu. There are other things they can catch which they can die of ie strangles and I could be wrong but I don't think they vaccinate against that. I think it's all just scare mongering and I think the vets and pharmaceutical companies are rubbing their hands together and running off to the bank with all the extra cash they are receiving by doing extra boosters . My horses are vaccinated and I will not be having boosters done .

WhyDidIEatThat · 13/02/2019 20:10

Horse flu >>> bacterial pneumonia which can be fatal.

insecure123 · 14/02/2019 14:06

I was wondering about this today. I don't leave the yard - all horses there are leisure horses but my instagram feed is still full of folk out and about hunting - fair enough but there are no vaccination checks (that I am aware of) to hunt which doesn't sit too comfrtably with me. There are no hunts near me anyway BUT if I had a vulnerable horse on land that the hunt passes/uses I think I would be a little peed off/worried by that. maybe I'd be over worrying who knows but it doesn't seem very responsible to me. Whats others thoughts on that? I am not one to get in hysterics over these things and think everything should go on lockdown but it just doesn't sit right with me

Megan2018 · 14/02/2019 14:28

@insecure123
We are in a hunting village with 3 hunts crossing the land our yard is on so definitely in the thick of it.
I don't go out anymore as horse semi-retired but we have a mix of horses at ours, some of which compete or hunt. But there's not long left of the season now anyway.

insecure123 · 14/02/2019 14:30

Hi Megan. Are you worried by it? I suppose it depends on how vulnerable the horses are too.

Megan2018 · 14/02/2019 14:34

@insecure123
No. All of our horses are vaccinated so I don't think it is worth worrying about. I am being cautious and keeping an eye as my mare is nearly 21 and so I worry about her more than some (although she is very healthy and fat robust). But I think the odds of a serious issue on a yard full of vaccinated horses is minimal.

I'd not be happy having any un vaccinated horses near us though if I can help it! But everyone I know in hunting circles vaccinates.

insecure123 · 14/02/2019 14:36

Yes I htink you are right. most regular hunters I know do alot of eventing too and vaccinate but I htink there are still the odd "leisure riders" that take part in the odd hunt and I wouldn't know if they were vaccinated. i suppose it is just one of these things. Take the precautions and thats all that can be done really

CamberGirl · 14/02/2019 14:41

I work at an equine vets. If the horses are high risk ie: out competing, mixing regularly with other horses or on big yards with lots of horse movement, the recommendation is a booster if its been 6 months or more since the last vax. Obviously its up to the owners whether they want to follow the guidelines. There has been a confirmed case in Scotland now.

insecure123 · 14/02/2019 14:56

I seen the confirmed case in Scotland yesterday but a friend has said today there have been a further 2 cases in Scotland (released by a vet) I do not know this to be fact only what she has claimed to have read..

Butkin1 · 14/02/2019 15:11

EI is endemic here and throughout Europe. If you waited for it to go away you'd never leave the yard.. There are always sporadic outbreaks at this time of the year but they don't get publicity. It is only because two racing yards got it in vaccinated horses which caused the worry in racing. Horses which are vaccinated only get it mildly and it is usually clear within 2 to 3 days. Some of the ones who tested positive gave no physical sign of being poorly.

I work in racing and they did the right thing shutting down for a week because they are a million pound industry with Cheltenham just around the corner so they needed to stop the spread.
I'm running a clinic and show in the next couple of weeks and we're letting people come as long as they show us their passports (legal requirement to have when travelling anyway) and vaccinations within the last year.

WhyDidIEatThat · 14/02/2019 15:51

Butkin I was shocked to learn from my vet (we’re in Suffolk) of the current number of cases in unvaccinated TBs at racing yards in Newmarket- obviously those horses were not racing or in training but I just sort of assumed the entire yard would be vaccinated. How common is this, would you know?

EmmaC78 · 14/02/2019 21:23

Yes a second confirmed case in Scotland today. In Stirling. Confirmed by the vet on Facebook.

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