Tag Archives: influenza

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Is Equine Flu a problem?

Have you heard of Equine influenza? Also called Equine flu, this highly infectious disease affects the respiratory system of horses and donkeys, and it can quickly make itself at home in your yard!

These strains of viruses exist all over the UK, sometimes causing outbreaks that have forced many equestrian events to be delayed or cancelled and the halting of any movements of animals in the affected areas. As unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable horses can suffer from a severe form of this disease, biosecurity and vaccinations are vital to ensure that your horses won’t be severely ill or prevented from entering competitions.

Learn everything about Equine influenza and how to stop it from entering your yard in our blog post.

What is equine influenza?

In the UK, this disease is commonly caused by two Equine influenza virus strains, the H7N7 and the H3N8. As with other viruses, these tend to continuously mutate and become more adept at causing larger-scale infections or outbreaks.

If your horse gets infected, you can spot:

  • Fever;
  • Depression and decreased appetite;
  • Persistent dry cough;
  • Clear nasal discharge that might evolve into a thick mucus discharge.

Animals that are young, unvaccinated or that have compromised immunity are more likely to suffer from a severe or even debilitating form of Equine influenza, possibly requiring veterinary intervention to avoid breathing issues or more severe respiratory infections.

Should I be worried that my horses might catch it?

Equine flu is a concern for all horse owners!

Equine influenza is endemic to the UK and extremely contagious, being able to spread from infected horses to your whole herd in no time. This is particularly important for owners who often travel to shows or events where many horses are gathering.

However, even if your horse never leaves his or her enclosure and you bring no other animals in, they are still at risk of getting or spreading this virus as it’s also very easy to catch it from droplets in the environment. Shared equipment, clothes, tack or bedding can all be important sources of infection, which means that any visitors to your yard might bring this disease with them.

Is there anything I can do to prevent equine influenza?

Vaccination is the best way to help prevent any issues with equine flu, and it is recommended that all horse owners vaccinate against it regularly. Not only will it help significantly to reduce the risk of serious illness but it will also increase herd immunity, helping prevent future outbreaks across the country.

In addition to a good vaccination programme, it’s recommended that you have effective cleaning, monitoring and quarantine protocols in place to limit viral spread.

If you’re concerned with the biosecurity in your yard, your vet can help you identify any points that could be improved and put better measures in place, so you can avoid not only Equine influenza but many other infectious diseases!

In summary:

  • Equine influenza is a common viral infection that can cause severe problems in yards;
  • We recommend you keep all of your horses vaccinated against Equine Influenza, even if they do not contact any other horses;
  • If your horse travels frequently or you often bring in new animals to your property, don’t forget to vaccinate, quarantine and watch them as needed;
  • In the case that one of your animals is struggling with breathing, fever or lethargy, don’t forget to talk to your vet as soon as you are able!

Would you like to know more about horses? Check our Equine Courses:

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Horses, The Pet Professionals

Protect your horses from equine influenza

Equine influenza, also known as equine flu, is a widespread viral infection in horses. The UK has experienced several outbreaks in the past decade, requiring strict quarantines to resolve, which means economic losses for horse owners who cannot participate in events or competitions.

While it is rarely fatal, it spreads rapidly, may increase the chances of your horses developing complicated pneumonia, and animals might be affected severely enough to be out of work for several weeks.

Keep reading to know more about how to help your horses avoid equine influenza.

How does the equine flu get to my yard?

The equine influenza virus is highly contagious, and it’s very easy to find its way to your horses.

It spreads via airborne droplets, just like with human flu, and when animals are infected, they must be isolated to avoid spreading it further. Shared materials like feed buckets, tack or other objects and clothes can also be contaminated, and they can be a source of infection.

Due to this, good biosecurity measures are necessary to avoid cross-contamination and to ensure that people vising your yard do not bring in the virus from other places.

Horses travelling for competitions or events are more at risk of contracting the virus due to the number of other animals around them. As clinical signs might not show up immediately after infection, they could well be shedding the virus whilst not showing any signs that they are sick.

If you think one of your horses might be infected, you must call your vet immediately so that they can do the required testing. They will then guide you on what to do to minimise the chances of transmission and to help avoid a serious outbreak that could lead to a strict lockdown.

Is it possible to help protect my horses from equine influenza?

The most common signs of equine influenza are:

  • Runny nose;
  • High temperature;
  • Cough and weakness;
  • Lack of appetite.

This disease also destroys the cells lining the throat and lungs. Because of this, infected animals can be predisposed to secondary complications such as bacterial pneumonia, which can take up to three weeks to improve.

With the potential to not only cause a lot of suffering to your horse but also to remove them from work for an extended period, prevention is critical.

As we’ve mentioned, proper biosecurity is vital to avoid bringing in the virus from elsewhere and spreading it to your horses, but quarantining new horses and vaccinating your animals is also crucial to prevent potentially serious problems with this disease.

 

Equine influenza is a highly contagious disease that quickly leads to outbreaks and might cause monetary losses due to animals that will be suspended from work, so don’t hesitate to contact your vet if you are unsure about your horses or how to improve the biosecurity and health protocols of your yard.

 

Would you like to know more about horses? Check our Equine Courses:

Equine courses

 

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Equine Influenza – Is your horse vaccinated?

Given the recent outbreaks that have been reported throughout the UK and Europe, we feel like this is a good time to talk about equine influenza.

This disease, also known as equine flu, is highly contagious and affects horses’ respiratory tract. Most cases will show signs of lethargy, decreased appetite, fever, nasal discharge and coughing. However, more severely affected horses can develop pneumonia and other respiratory issues, which in debilitated horses can be fatal.

Besides its highly contagious nature, one other reason that allows the virus to spread so quickly among horses is that this disease has an incubation period up to five days long. This means that your horse may already be infected even though he or she is not showing clinical signs of disease.

Fortunately, there are vaccines available to keep your horses protected against influenza. Different vaccines will protect against different strains of the virus, and you should ask your veterinarian for advice regarding which one is the right option for your horse.

According to the British Horse Society, “estimates suggest that less than 40 percent of the equine population in the UK are vaccinated against influenza”.

This has implications not only for individual horses that become ill but also for the horse population in general as it can lead to the spread of a very infectious virus, which will continue to affect more and more horses.

If your horse hasn’t been vaccinated against equine flu or if you think its vaccination is not current, this is the perfect opportunity for you to give your vet a call. Keep in mind that by protecting your horse, you’ll be protecting all horses.

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