Flu, are we only being given racing numbers?

poiuytrewq

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So on TV this morning and I missed half of it so this may be incorrect!
They say only 10 cases confirmed and that this appears under control.
I’ve seen a few Facebook shares stating confirmed cases outside of the racing industry which to me says worse. Chilton equine vets being the only one I remember. So what actually is the deal now? I thought we were being given definitive numbers and advice by yesterday lunch time.
 

ester

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I counted up for someone yesterday, I think 33 (counting off the the AHT report without the latest Newmarket ones on it)

People definitely seem to be getting confused hence why I counted up for them.
 

3OldPonies

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Not sure if it was the same report, I didn't see it, but my father told me that someone was on telly this morning and said that it doesn't really matter the racehorses just run a bit slower when they've got flu.

If this was true, then I'd quite like to get hold of whoever it was next time they have flu and make them run a mile over fences.
 
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Everyone is latching onto the BHA reports as they are the ones being thrown around alot just now which states only 10 cases. Not many people know about or think to check the AHT site which gives you the full numbers known to them just now which is over 30 in total.

People forget that racing doesnt really care about normal horses and will only report its own. But the same could be said for eventing, dressage or showing press. They would state their own and not really mention anyone elses.
 

poiuytrewq

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Everyone is latching onto the BHA reports as they are the ones being thrown around alot just now which states only 10 cases. Not many people know about or think to check the AHT site which gives you the full numbers known to them just now which is over 30 in total.

People forget that racing doesnt really care about normal horses and will only report its own. But the same could be said for eventing, dressage or showing press. They would state their own and not really mention anyone elses.
Totally, but this is what I mean. All well and good racing being transparent but the rest of the horse world seems not to be following suit
 

SEL

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Radio 2 news just quoted the 10 horses. I got cross and shouted at the radio.

Apparently only horses vaccinated in the past 6 months are allowed to race and I think its from yards that weren't present at any of the races with known flu cases.
 

OrangeAndLemon

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There's a backlog of swabs to test but yes, I think the financial impact is hurting and the racing industry wants to control the message.

Is it true that flu is prevalent normally? That's the message I'm getting (it's always there anyway, just like human flu) is it the impact on vaccinated horses that is the concern?
 

meleeka

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Is it true that flu is prevalent normally? That's the message I'm getting (it's always there anyway, just like human flu) is it the impact on vaccinated horses that is the concern?

Yes it’s always about, but not In epidemic numbers. I don’t think it’s the impact on vaccinated horses that’s the concern (I believe symptoms were mild) but the spread of the virus through vaccinated animals. I read that vaccinated racehorses are given boosters every 6 months anyway so If it’s still being passed along, they were either having boosters that didn’t cover the current strain or the vaccination isn’t working and that I think was the concern. We haven’t been told what the conclusion is to that.
 

oldie48

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I am not an expert (obviously) but I think the main concern with racing is the amount of travelling the horses do, the stabling arrangements, the proximity of horses to each other whilst competing and the huge size of some racing stables. All this means that the potential for the flu to become an epidemic within racing is perhaps greater than for other disciplines and of course, there is a huge amount of money in racing. They also compete at maximum effort, so might this affect their immunity? Flu, like strangles is always around in the horse population and is in many respects more likely to represent a threat to the average leisure horse as these are more likely to be unvaccinated.
 

ester

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There's a backlog of swabs to test but yes, I think the financial impact is hurting and the racing industry wants to control the message.

Is it true that flu is prevalent normally? That's the message I'm getting (it's always there anyway, just like human flu) is it the impact on vaccinated horses that is the concern?

There were 3 positives last year but iirc they were all FC2 (they haven't yet published the last quarter report which would give the detail on the second two, one was in april so we have the details on that one). Current outbreak is FC1 so more novel and yes vaccination concern.
 

criso

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I can only see 13 cases on the AHT list but it hasn't been updated today.

There was a lot of local confusion here as a vet practice declared one in Middlesex on facebook (which no longer exists as a county but a geographical area) including the yard in question, this went on the AHT list as Herts as it was a Hertfordshire postcode. It's now been changed to Middlesex on the AHT site. That one is a non racing/non tb.

However the confusion has led to people saying not all are being reported.
 

hopscotch bandit

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A lot of vets around our way are advertising on their FB site saying that if your horse hasn't been vacinated in the last 6 months they will come out and do this at a shared visit price on a Saturday to suit those who work F/T as they are so keen to get as many vaccinated as possible. Luckily mine was done in October. I heard that the flu is a different strain anyway, not sure how true that is.
 

ester

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I can only see 13 cases on the AHT list but it hasn't been updated today.

There was a lot of local confusion here as a vet practice declared one in Middlesex on facebook (which no longer exists as a county but a geographical area) including the yard in question, this went on the AHT list as Herts as it was a Hertfordshire postcode. It's now been changed to Middlesex on the AHT site. That one is a non racing/non tb.

However the confusion has led to people saying not all are being reported.

There are multiple horses for each location that you need to add up.
 

case895

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Vet was here today and I asked her whether there have been any equine influenza cases in our area. Two she knew of in January and they have not been reported elsewhere, so we aren't seeing the full extent of the problem.
 

sjb10

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I got to 30 yesterday but that didn't include the latest newmarket bunch, which I think was 3?!
That ties in with what I think I heard on the radio this morning, which was 33 so far. I think he also said in last calendar year only 3 cases, but was driving so not fully concentrating!
 

Ouch05

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Just a note to add: horses like humans can carry viruses (also like rain scold in horses) but never show any symptoms it just lays dormant and they can be a carry.

At the moment nearly all racehorses are being swabs so those that would never present are showing as positive now. therefore the number will increase but some of these horses would have never shown up as they have no symptoms just a carrier.
 

ester

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That ties in with what I think I heard on the radio this morning, which was 33 so far. I think he also said in last calendar year only 3 cases, but was driving so not fully concentrating!
yes 3 last year (as per a h+h report) but think 2 were in the last quarter which they seem to be slow publishing the report for.

Rain scald isn't a virus? and the initial increase was in leisure horses before anyone was really aware that there was a problem so no testing of asymptomatic horses.
The estimated racehorse population is 20k, I am not aware that nearly all of them are going to be swabbed just those that have had contact?
 

poiuytrewq

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Yes just horses who’s yard have had runners at one of the courses that infected yards had runners are being swabbed. Both yards I’m at are not needing to swab.
 

TheMule

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Just a note to add: horses like humans can carry viruses (also like rain scold in horses) but never show any symptoms it just lays dormant and they can be a carry.

At the moment nearly all racehorses are being swabs so those that would never present are showing as positive now. therefore the number will increase but some of these horses would have never shown up as they have no symptoms just a carrier.

Incorrect:
EI doesn't lie dormant, horses cannot be carriers, it is always an active infection and fully destroyed by the immune system . If a horse has mild symptoms or humans don't see any symptoms that's because the immune system is clearing the infection rapidly. They still have flu, but may not be as infectious/ infectious for as long
 

tristar

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english horses have been cleared to race in ireland as far as i know'

there has been flu in munster and leinster, the curragh is in leinster, two yards with flu have not been named.
 

The-Bookworm

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Just a note to add: horses like humans can carry viruses (also like rain scold in horses) but never show any symptoms it just lays dormant and they can be a carry.

At the moment nearly all racehorses are being swabs so those that would never present are showing as positive now. therefore the number will increase but some of these horses would have never shown up as they have no symptoms just a carrier.
And would that infection of they got it pass on?
 
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