Horse Flu Case Confirmed in UK

[dwi]

Our vet has asked us to pass onto everyone that we know that there has been a confirmed case of horse flu in the UK. Please pass this on to anyone you know who might not have their horses vaccinated.

 

[appylass]

Do you know whereabouts?

 

[Sparkles]

Ditto above.

So much for that show not making flu vaccs compulsory....

 

[Gingerwitch]

If the flu jab was once every 3, 4 or 5 years i would not have an issue with it BUT to year in and year out subject your horses to this is a joke. I really really wish that everyone would join forces and refuse to vaccinate yearly - it is a huge big con and what fab timing just as the Royal says they arnt compulsory a story like this comes out.....??? do the vets make so little money on everything else they are desperate to subject us all to this constant overdoesing of animals.

How many horses do you know that are starting to have severe reactions to these jabs? I for one know of 3 - one died, one has to have various injections and go to the vets to be "monitored for 24 hours" due to its competative attendance and the 3rd one - the owner is refusing to vacianate anymore due to the "reaction" from last years batch - her insurance is now worthless - as she cannot claim for a thing as he is not vacinated now !

 

[dwi]

We are in the East Midlands but I don't know where the case was confirmed, vet just said UK.

 

[ester]

http://www.equiflunet.org.uk/

lincolnshire and shropshire.

 

[Zebedee]

How many horses do you know that are starting to have severe reactions to these jabs? I for one know of 3 - one died, one has to have various injections and go to the vets to be "monitored for 24 hours" due to its competative attendance and the 3rd one - the owner is refusing to vacianate anymore due to the "reaction" from last years batch - her insurance is now worthless - as she cannot claim for a thing as he is not vacinated now !

I don't know of any. I have eight horses myself & all are vaccinated. Nothing comes on to my yard that isn't. I have worked in racing yards & alongside vets. The only reaction to a jab I have ever seen was a horse who had a severe reaction to a tet jab.
Tests have shown in the past a severe drop off of flu antibody levels towards the end of a twelve month period in vaccinated horses.
Even if the exact flu virus doing the rounds isn't in the vaccination the flu symptoms will be greatly reduced in any horses unfortunate to contract the virus.
Part of the problem is anyone suffering from a severe head cold is convinced they have flu. True Equine (& human) Influenza is a debilitating disease that can kill, & can take months to fully recover from.

 

[dwi]

Thats not good, sounds like its going to appear in other areas as well if its already in two places that far apart.

 

[ceiron]

If the flu jab was once every 3, 4 or 5 years i would not have an issue with it BUT to year in and year out subject your horses to this is a joke. I really really wish that everyone would join forces and refuse to vaccinate yearly - it is a huge big con and what fab timing just as the Royal says they arnt compulsory a story like this comes out.....??? do the vets make so little money on everything else they are desperate to subject us all to this constant overdoesing of animals.

How many horses do you know that are starting to have severe reactions to these jabs? I for one know of 3 - one died, one has to have various injections and go to the vets to be "monitored for 24 hours" due to its competative attendance and the 3rd one - the owner is refusing to vacianate anymore due to the "reaction" from last years batch - her insurance is now worthless - as she cannot claim for a thing as he is not vacinated now !

evidence for any of this ?

they are required annually due to the fact they have a short action against the disease, every 6 months in fei regulations due to the stress and travel on horses to maintain an effective anti body.

the risk of reaction is minute, its not 0% but then without vaccination the risk of death or adverse reaction is a lot greater.

so its the lesser of evils.

the evidence is there to support annual vaccinations.

i see only anecdotal evidence to support your claim.

 

[teddyt]

IMO because unfortunately the % of the overall uk horse population that do vaccinate is quite small theres not alot of point in doing it if you dont compete. Vaccines are more effective at reducing the illness they are intended for if a larger no of individuals are vaccinated. The governing bodies, jockey club, etc want people to vaccinate because a flu outbreak has such a huge impact on the respective industries. But most horse owners dont bother.

Also, the vaccine only covers a handful of strains, when there are ten times more than this worldwide that are not included. So vaccination isnt actually very comprehensive. If everyone did it, it would obviously be better than the current situation but tbh that is never going to happen!

I can also say that in 25 years of owning horses with alot of additional experience of different yards and competing nationally, i have never known a horse get flu!

 

[Sparkles]

Ditto, there's a risk of an adverse reaction with any jab or medicine for that matter administered.

I hate it when my horses aren't up to date with jabbies, especially if on a busy yard with frequent coming and goings. If I can reduce the risk as much as I can by means of jabbing, then I will. £32 [approx] per year really isn't that steep. Granted, one year I missed the jabbing due to other circumstances and didn't restart for a while.BUT, we were in the middle of nowhere, with just our normal herd of horses at home with us with no comings and going and no meetings with any other horses.
Now, being at a yard having horses coming and going and competing all over the place...I quite like mine to be vaccinated. Plus due to competing....have to be vaccinated anyway.

I guess the only problem would be if it's a different strain that comes out etc and the current vaccine is not a match to combat it.

 

[Roody2]

In H&H this week it says Bransby have been closed due to flu outbreak.

In humans (I must stress this is for humans and I am still trying to find out if the same applies to horses) the flu vaccine is modified each year as the flu virus will mutate and change. Therefore the drug companies have to alter the vaccine to try to match what is likely to be the most common strain that winter. Hence why they were able to roll out the swine flu vaccine so quickly, and hence why people in the 'at risk' groups of regular flu get vaccinated every winter.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I had a pony with equine flu about 35 years ago, it was certainly more than a head cold. He was very ill for several weeks and we nearly lost him. In those days the vaccination wasn't routine as it is now. Worrying that one of the outbreaks is in Shropshire, wonder if more details will be released.

 

[ester]

I realised that my link didnt take you to the news page, this is what it says:


Equine influenza – Shropshire, UK
21st May 2010

An outbreak of equine influenza has been diagnosed at a premises in Shropshire. Diagnosis was by NP ELISA performed on nasal swabs submitted to the diagnostic unit at the Animal Health Trust. Virus isolation and characterisation is currently underway at the AHT.

Equine influenza – Lincolnshire, UK
14th May 2010

An outbreak of equine influenza has been diagnosed by NP ELISA at the Animal Health Trust from nasal swabs submitted to the diagnostic unit. Genetic characterisation performed at the AHT has shown that the isolates belong to the clade 2 cluster of the H3N8 Florida sub-lineage. Antigenic characterisation is currently underway following successful virus isolation.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Is there an accurate % of the numbers of horses that are vacinated in the UK? It would be interesting to know this - also it appears like there has only been 2 cases of equine flu, since 2008 - which are these 2 incidents in 2010 - also the area they are in is pretty interesting? ie middle of the country - so wonder where they got it from?

Wonder how many of the Applby horses are up to date with their vacinations? and they will be moving all round the UK at the moment!

Why do i say about the jabs? due to the American stance on things - same is happening with the dogs and their boosters - seriously 30 years ago i did not know a single horse that was vacinated at all - let alone with the flu jab - tbh - most horses saw a wormer once in their lifetime too.

As for my 3 experiances being antedotal - yes as in they have not happend directly to me, but are from yards i was actually on - not know of.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Seeing my horses go nowhere, I don't show etc:- I dont have my horses done against flu etc:- My next doorneighbour does and I know she would have hers done.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

I don't go to shows with my horse, I take him to the beach, the odd fun ride, but others on my yard go competing regularly so I don't want him picking up anything off them or anyone I meet out on a hack. He is 31 and has been vaccinated yearly for flu, every other for tet, and has never had a reaction.

 

[Ebenezer_Scrooge]

I have my flu jab every year and so does my neddy. We both have respiratory problems and imo if I can do something to prevent it I will. Both flu vaccines are altered each year to incorporate new strains. It hardly costs the earth....

 

[ceiron]

Is there an accurate % of the numbers of horses that are vacinated in the UK? It would be interesting to know this - also it appears like there has only been 2 cases of equine flu, since 2008 - which are these 2 incidents in 2010 - also the area they are in is pretty interesting? ie middle of the country - so wonder where they got it from?

Wonder how many of the Applby horses are up to date with their vacinations? and they will be moving all round the UK at the moment!

Why do i say about the jabs? due to the American stance on things - same is happening with the dogs and their boosters - seriously 30 years ago i did not know a single horse that was vacinated at all - let alone with the flu jab - tbh - most horses saw a wormer once in their lifetime too.

As for my 3 experiances being antedotal - yes as in they have not happend directly to me, but are from yards i was actually on - not know of.

i could of put a tenner on you bringing up the dog argument.lol

dogs and horse vaccines are very different for one.

secondly the antibodies in a horse dont remain as they do in dogs.

thus you dont overdose them as you do in dogs.

i agree with the testing and then vaccinating of dogs, that is a more efficient way of doing it.

however in horses it does not work this way.

also as for the strain thing.

i do believe their is only 2 main strains of equine flu, both of which are included in the vaccination.

there are sub types of the flu but they are similar to main one so are effectively boosted in protection by the main vaccine if that makes sense.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Is there an accurate % of the numbers of horses that are vacinated in the UK? It would be interesting to know this - also it appears like there has only been 2 cases of equine flu, since 2008 - which are these 2 incidents in 2010 - also the area they are in is pretty interesting? ie middle of the country - so wonder where they got it from?

Wonder how many of the Applby horses are up to date with their vacinations? and they will be moving all round the UK at the moment!

Why do i say about the jabs? due to the American stance on things - same is happening with the dogs and their boosters - seriously 30 years ago i did not know a single horse that was vacinated at all - let alone with the flu jab - tbh - most horses saw a wormer once in their lifetime too.

As for my 3 experiances being antedotal - yes as in they have not happend directly to me, but are from yards i was actually on - not know of.

Just because there are only 2 reported incidents doesn't necessarily mean there have only been very few cases. I agree that 30 years ago there were less horses vaccinated against flu(see my post above), but everyone I knew had their horses done for tetanus,. However, we did worm fairly regularly so that isn't a new thing as far as I am concerned.