Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Every horse owner dreads the thought of an infectious disease arriving at their yard, but it’s something for which we all need to be prepared. Having a plan of what to do if a horse becomes sick is a vital part of reducing the spread and minimising the number of horses affected. Celia Marr from British Equestrian’s Equine Infectious Disease Advisory Group shares her top tips.
Maintaining a clean environment is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of disease. You will need both detergents and disinfectants to properly clean a stable area – household products such as bleach and bacterial handwipes are effective, but the best thing to do is check with your vet about which disinfectant works against the particular infection affecting your horse. Disinfectants can also be purchased in horse supplies stores to use for foot dips and wiping down high-touch areas such as stable door latches and light switches.
To properly decontaminate an area, it must be cleared of as much organic matter as possible before applying the disinfectant. Avoid using sponges, which can harbour microorganisms – instead, opt for a clean scrubbing brush and rubber gloves to protect your hands. The stable will need to be cleaned while the sick horse is still inside, and again once he has recovered.
It’s important to limit the number of people handling the sick horse in order to reduce the risk of transmission. Make sure everyone who does can wash their hands with soap and warm water or, if that is not possible, use hand wipes. It is also helpful to have a store of disposable overalls for carers to use so that they don’t transfer the disease to other horses, people or surfaces via their clothes. If these aren’t available, set aside an old overcoat that can be used by everyone who’s handling the horse.
Foot dips are very important for intestinal infections, and less so but still helpful for respiratory infections.
When disease enters the yard, it’s easy to panic and start moving horses around. However, doing so might increase the risk of spread rather than stopping it. By the time one horse shows clinical signs, he may have been incubating the disease for some time and the infection may already have spread to others that he’s come in contact with.
It’s generally best to draw up a map of all stables and who’s in them so you can track movement. Group together the horses that have been in closest contact with the infected animal, which might mean turning them out together. Don’t dot them around the yard where they might mix with other horses who haven’t previously been in contact with the infection.
Try to stop horses leaving the yard or going to competitions, where they might mingle with other horses outside of their usual group, at least for a few days until the situation becomes clearer.
Classic signs of infection include fever, nasal discharge or diarrhoea – if you have any concerns about your horse’s health, contact your vet straight away. Taking your horse’s temperature on a daily basis is the single most effective way to spot infectious disease early.