Veterinary Department Updates

The British government has issued guidance on the movement of horses in the event Britain does not finalise a withdrawal agreement with European Union (EU) negotiators by 29 March 2019. With just weeks to go until the 29 March deadline, the British Parliament has yet to approve the terms of withdrawal negotiated with the EU. In the event that Britain leaves the EU without a deal, the travel requirements for horses after 29 March will depend on: 1) whether the EU lists Britain as a ‘third country’ (i.e. countries and regions outside the European Union), and 2) the health status category in which the EU places Britain. The British government is continuing to negotiate with the European Commission on securing listed status for Britain, which would enable the continued movement of horses to EU member states. However, in case of a ‘no deal’, horse owners need to be aware that horses travelling from the EU to Britain:

• may need to undergo additional blood tests, which will need to be carried out within 30 days or less of travelling to satisfy EU regulations.
• owners will need to consult with a vet at least six weeks before they are planning to travel.
• all horses will need an Export Health Certificate in order to travel to EU states, instead of current documents, and will need to enter the EU via a Border Inspection Post (BIP).
• horses with FEI passports, or passports recognised by the FEI in combination with an FEI recognition card, fulfill the requirements for government issued travel ID documents.

Currently we have been informed that there will not be any changes to import regulations for FEI horses travelling from the EU into Britain, but updates will be provided. The guidance is designed to give horse owners as much time to prepare for these new processes and factor in any extra travel time they may require when travelling to and from the EU. The guidance issued by the British government can be found here. British-based horse owners and those planning to transport FEI registered horses to Britain to compete at FEI events are encouraged to refer to this site frequently for updates on the situation.

The current outbreaks of equine influenza have the potential to impact the entire equestrian industry, but there are measures that can be taken to protect horses and prevent further transmission of the disease.

By 8 February 2019, multiple outbreaks have been confirmed in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Nigeria, Great Britain and the United States of America.

What is equine influenza?
Equine influenza is a highly contagious virus which causes respiratory disease in horses. The virus is endemic to most countries of the world and outbreaks can have severe impacts on the equine industry including restrictions on horse movement and cancelled events.

How is the disease transmitted?
Equine influenza is transmitted between horses by aerosol transmission from coughing horses. The virus can spread up to two kilometres depending on the environmental conditions. It can also be spread on clothing and yard equipment by people working with infected horses.
Horse transport is also a risk for disease transmission. Lorries and trailers in which infected horses have travelled may be contaminated with the virus and transmit the disease to others. Thorough cleaning of all equine transport vehicles must be carried out between shipments.
Equine influenza can be easily transmitted between horses that are in close contact, e.g. attending events, group training and hunting. Horses can become infected and bring the disease to their home yard and transmit the virus to other horses.

What clinical signs should I look out for?
Horses infected with the virus can develop a fever before showing any clinical signs of the disease. It is at this point that horses are shedding large quantities of the virus into the environment and can easily transmit the disease to others. Infected horses develop depression, loss of appetite and have a harsh, dry cough.
Infected horses can develop complications. It is not uncommon for them to suffer secondary bacterial infections and develop nasal discharge. Horses can die as a result of complications, but this is rare.
The horses most at risk are those that are unvaccinated, young, old or already compromised by other diseases e.g. Cushing’s disease (PPID).

I suspect my horse has influenza. What should I do?
It is very important that horses showing the early signs of the disease are examined by a veterinarian. Since infected horses show similar clinical signs to other infectious respiratory infections, your veterinarian should take nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples which will be sent for laboratory analysis to confirm the diagnosis.

How quickly do horses recover?
Recovery rates from equine influenza are variable and depend on the severity of the clinical signs. The respiratory tract can take between 50 to 100 days to fully recover after infection. Putting a horse back into work before it is fully recovered can jeopardise its long-term health.

How can I protect my horses?
Horses that have been vaccinated in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions or FEI requirements will be very well protected against equine influenza. Although no vaccine is 100% effective, it has been clear from recent outbreaks that vaccinated horses have suffered only mild clinical signs of the disease and recovered quickly. Unvaccinated horses have been much more severely affected.
Since horses that have been in close contact with others away from home can introduce influenza to their home stables, it is vital that all horses and ponies are vaccinated, even if they don’t leave their home stables. This is critical to reducing the severity of infections and viral transmission.
The FEI recommends that horses which have mixed with others are closely monitored on their return home and their rectal temperature taken twice daily. Horses that have a fever must be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
All FEI horses must have an up-to-date vaccination history in their passports and checks are carried out on entry to all FEI events.
Any horse that displays any signs of illness should not leave their home yard. This also applies to any horse that has been in contact with a horse or horses that have equine influenza. Call your veterinarian.
Please visit FEI Campus for a course on Equine Influenza: A Horse Owners Guide.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has temporarily closed the Miami Animal Import Center to new arrivals after six horses quarantined or recently released from the facility became sick.

hese horse had clinical signs including diarrhea, fever and founder. We have been informed by APHIS that, despite treatment, three horses have died or been euthanized due to very severe clinical signs. Salmonella has been found in the first horse that got sick and analyses are ongoing on samples from the other horses.

There are still horses quarantined in the facility and APHIS is stepping up biosecurity and taking additional precautions to prevent further spread of the infection. Shipping agents are working closely with APHIS to ensure a safe release of these horses. The Miami Animal Import Center will be closed until 31 March 2019.

The latest information from APHIS is available here.

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you with some information relevant to your role. Read more ...

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you with some information relevant to your role. Read more ...

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you with some information relevant to your role. Read more ...

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you concerning information relevant to your role as an Official Veterinarian. Read more ...

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you with some information relevant to your role as Testing Veterinarian. Read more ...

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you with some information relevant to your role as Permitted Treating Veterinarian. Read more ...

The FEI Veterinary Department would like to update you concerning information relevant to your role as an Official Veterinarian. Read more ...