Equine flu

popsdosh

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I suggest competitors need to keep abreast of developments regarding the outbreak of Flu that is stopping racing(at least for today) as its most likely to have knock on effects with affiliated competition as well as they usually follow racings lead.
 

Ambers Echo

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The outbreak involved vaccinated horses which is really worrying. I had assumed the protection from vaccs was pretty good. I don't understand why horses from the affected yard raced on Wednesday when they were directly exposed to ill horses. Why would you let horses off a yard with a suspected flu outbreak? Surely professional yards should be absolutely on top of bio-security?
 

whiteflower

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I think it's very concerning that so many vaccinated horses have caught it. Having vaccinated mine regularly it makes you wonder how useful the vaccine is. I will keep myself updated with the situation and make decisions about where I go as I now can't be sure my vaccinated horses will be ok. Not good
 

SEL

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Apparently the vaccinated horses have been getting a milder case. So still worth doing.

That's what I was wondering - so good to hear their is some protection from the vaccine. I suspect its like our flu vaccine that sometimes it is less effective for the strain that is going round.

I rode at a yard when I was about 13 where they had a serious outbreak. All the horses recovered in the end, but the yard barely operated for 3 months. Given it was a riding school alongside the livery yard it really hit their finances hard.
 

ester

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From my understanding the florida clade 1 isolate present in the current vaccines mentioned in the above link doesn’t confer full immunity to the currently circulating strain. It will be interesting when we have more sequencing done and whether an emergency vaccine will be produced.

Unfortunately as we know with people sometimes flu just does that.
 

Bernster

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Are people still competing as normal? How is it transmitted? I always follow sensible precautions when out and he never comes into contact with other horses or their stuff, although that wont be effective against air born highly contagious stuff.
 

Ambers Echo

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Are people still competing as normal? How is it transmitted? I always follow sensible precautions when out and he never comes into contact with other horses or their stuff, although that wont be effective against air born highly contagious stuff.

Unfortunately it is air borne so hard to protect against. I intend to carry on as normal unless a horse on our yard falls ill, but some events may be cancelled I guess.
 

milliepops

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I'm still *planning* to continue as normal but guess it remains to be seen whether other events get cancelled too.
 

madamebonnie

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All on our yard are topping up boosters if not been done within the last 6 months. Lots of people compete at different places so worth us taking extra precautions.
 

CJoe

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The main issues were with a few racing yards, it doesn't appear to be in the "wider community" (YET)

.. it is a different strain apparently Florida C 2, hence vacc'd horses are getting it, although with milder symptoms. I intend to still compete locally, unless it starts affecting the non racing community. Using some common sense of course. Racing has gone into shutdown today because horses were attending races that had been in contact with flu carriers...………kind of shutting the stable door a bit quickly as the horse bolts.....
 

JFTDWS

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The arena hire I was booked into tomorrow has just cancelled - she said I could take her if she'd been vaccinated within the last 6 months, as that was her vet's advice. I'm not convinced a more recent vaccination will have any effect at all, given the (query) strain involved. However, yes, it's already pissing on my life!


(eta - I think locking down yards is reasonable - I just don't think they should let on horses with more recent vaccs either, if they want to be secure...)
 

CJoe

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It very much is in the wider community if you read the AHT summary, Shetlands and IDs aren’t racehorses

Shetlands? haven't seen any reports on that, if you look at the facebook post carefully, the Shetland (if its a little black one) does not have flu, it just says it is vaccinated...not seen any ID's either. Spent considerable time trying to research the actual real live cases and locations, please post links! many thanks x

I am also thinking it largely will depend what area of the country you live in, we have had nothing (that I am currently aware of) in the South Oxon/Berks area, happy to stand corrected with concrete evidence. If I was in Lincoln or other affected areas, perhaps I would be staying at home. It is an individual choice and those of venues. I would hope by the standard of venues I attend, and by research locally, informed decisions will be made by us all to protect our precious ones.
 

abbijay

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I am currently organising our RC camp in May. I'm now thinking this could be a major issue if the outbreak continues. I'll be very interested to see how major venues (in our case Somerford) will deal with this as you get groups of horses from different homes and the turnover in the stables is rapid.
Shetlands? haven't seen any reports on that, if you look at the facebook post carefully, the Shetland (if its a little black one) does not have flu, it just says it is vaccinated...not seen any ID's either. Spent considerable time trying to research the actual real live cases and locations, please post links! many thanks x
Yes, if you read the report it is definitely in other breeds.
 
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Flu has been kicking about for 6 or 7 weeks! Racing did NOT bring flu back to the surface! Normal people with normal horses did!

Everyone is jumping on racing because they have bit the bullet, told the whole world they are cancelling racing for today at the very least and are trying to stamp down on this outbreak before it hits racing harder!

Because of the way racing works we are far far more likely to spread things so shutting up shop is most definitely the way forward! They are being incredidbly sensible about it.

We know that horses from a confirmed racing yard ran horses at Ayr and Ludlow yesterday. I was at Ayr. Everything I wore went straight into the wash as soon as this came to light. I know which yard it is and i know i had nothing to do with them all day but flu passes easily. The horse that ran at Ayr was NOT infected. But could be carrying. So every trainer that had horses at those tracks are not allowed to race again until every horse in the yard has been swabbed and tested clear.

We ourselves have split into 2 teams. One team is staying at one yard the other is staying at the other yard. We are not crossing over like we normally do. All 5 horses we had at the races yesterday all wenr back to 1 yard so we have them isolated.

This isnt a game and it is scary how quickly things can escalate so we are taking all precautions.
 

CJoe

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Best read the AHT one then, confirmed in a Shetland
https://www.aht.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Equiflunet-outbreaks-2019-v2.pdf
I’m avoiding it on fb there’s a lot of misinformation about atm


Many thanks for the info Ester. AHT does confirm one is imported pony and I would stagger a guess, others were not properly isolated, but it is strange it appears to have appeared out of thin air..….sadly without proper isolation in every yard we will always be vulnerable to outbreaks of some kind.

Fortunately its not in our neck of the woods (yet...….), but so easily spread.

IMHO I just don't think people need to get too hysterical about it down south until we see what pattern forms, but we do need to take measures to make sure any incoming/competing animals are isolated properly etc coming into yards.

Times like this I am so pleased to keep my horses at home but do wonder about venues and how strict they will be...….time will tell. Booster booked for 6th March not that it will help with this strain much!
 

CJoe

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Yes a lot of people seem to think racing acted slowly I think they’ve been pretty quick given the published timelines.

I think racing is being hugely responsible to do this, usually its all about the money but for once, they are leading the way!
 

ester

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What will really make the difference is the sequence results from the vaccinated horses as that will give a lot more information as to what is different about it (usually something on the outside of course).

It’s always interesting at least when professional and hobby interests collide.
 

CJoe

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how very true, as scary as it can be, it is also very interesting and we always seem to learn some form of lesson (however, some don't take heed to that lesson!!)
 
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I think racing is being hugely responsible to do this, usually its all about the money but for once, they are leading the way!

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Racing isnt all about money ! Yeah a fair bit of it but not always. The horses arw put first because if you dont have the horses you dont have racing.

Without racing how far ahead do you think veterinary science would be? You wouldnt have the latest vaccines, the latest gadget, the latest medical or surgical proceedures. What would have killed your horse 10 years wouldnt today and that is thanks to the money racing pumps into veterinary science! Yes a lot of it comes from the Arabs (people not horses!) But without them we would be screwed.
 

CJoe

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EKW, I work for a racehorse breeder in the UK LOL trust me, its mostly about the money....not Always BUT the majority.

Not the grooms, or the support staff or the jockeys, some owners are fab too!!! But without the money element there would be no racing

I am not anti racing just in case that's your angle PMSL I am a huge racing FAN ha ha ha!!! Just stating what is real...
 
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