• 2010 AHC National Issues Forum Focused on the Impact of Equine Diseases

This year’s American Horse Council’s National Issues Forum focused on infectious equine diseases and the impact those diseases have on our horses’ welfare and our industry’s health. The annual meeting was held from June 20 to 23 and also included a Trails Forum, the annual Congressional Ride-In, AHC committee meetings, and a Congressional Reception.

The highlight of this year’s forum was a workshop co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDAAPHIS) and the AHC which provided an opportunity for the horse industry, key federal and state authorities, and others to discuss how each sector can protect the health of our horses and the commercial viability of our industry in the face of emerging and re-emerging diseases.

“This year’s meeting provided a framework for the equine industry, USDA, and state health officials to discuss the impact equine infectious diseases have on our horses and our industry,” said AHC President Jay Hickey. “We appreciate USDA-APHIS taking the initiative on this workshop.”

During his opening remarks, Dr. Jere Dick, Associate Deputy Administrator and Chief of Field Operations for USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services said, “This workshop is a unique opportunity to bring together diverse segments of the equine industry to discuss how to address preparedness for, and response to, equine infectious diseases in this country … and to identify priorities related to equine infectious diseases, to explore the critical support functions that could be performed by each segment of the industry, and to discuss funding issues.”

Recent outbreaks involving Contagious Equine Metritis, Equine Piroplasmosis, Vesicular Stomatitis, Equine Herpesvirus (EHV), and others continue to affect every aspect of the horse industry. These outbreaks have caused USDA-APHIS and state authorities to spend a great deal of money and resources to identify the diseases, trace the horses potentially affected, and contain the outbreak. The cost of these diseases is difficult, if not impossible to quantify, in terms of fatality rates, veterinary care, the effect on sales, breeding, racing, competitions, recreation, and the interstate and international movement of horses.

These outbreaks have affected and continue to affect the interstate and international movement of horses, which is critical to the horse industry. When barriers to movement are raised by states and foreign countries concerned about the spread of infectious diseases, this affects sales, breeding, racing, competitions, and recreation.

“Restrictions on horse movement results in restrictions on our entire industry,” said Hickey. On June 22, there was an open session that included presentations by USDA-APHIS personnel on specific infectious diseases, epidemiological updates, and a summary of the issues identified during the previous day’s workshop.

“This year’s National Issues Forum provided a platform for national organizations and representatives of federal and state authorities to identify priority issues and discuss a coordinated approach on how best to respond and limit the impact these diseases have on our horses and our industry. Major equine diseases continue to have dramatic consequences for our horses’ welfare and affect every aspect of our industry,” said Hickey. “This year’s forum does not conclude our focus on how to deal with these diseases. Rather, it is only the beginning.”

-courtesy American Horse Council

• TCA Awards $860,672 in Grants

Thoroughbred Charities of America, (TCA) announced on July 6 that grants totaling $860,672 have been awarded to 81 Thoroughbred industry-related non-profits that work to uphold TCA’s mission.

TCA distributes grants to several categories of Thoroughbred industry related nonprofits, including rescue, rehabilitation and adoption organizations, as well as education and backstretch programs, therapeutic riding programs and research organizations.

Grant applications for 2011 will be available on www.tca.org in early January.

“We are very pleased to once again offer funding to so many worthy charities,” said Erin Crady, executive director of TCA. “The grant money distributed by TCA would not be possible without the generous support of our many donors and, in particular, our stallion season donors.”

Over the past 20 years TCA has distributed over $17 million to more than 200 accredited charities that work to fulfill TCA’s mission.

TCA formally affiliated with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) in 2008 and is now the charitable arm of the organization. TCA’s affiliation with TOBA has allowed TCA to further expand its national reach and provides the continuity needed to carry on its mission into the future. TCA’s mission is to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting retirement, rescue and research and by helping the people who work with them.

TCA’s primary fundraiser is its annual Stallion Season Auction held each winter in Lexington, Kentucky. Donations to TCA are always accepted and can be made in the form of cash donations or as donations in lieu of flowers, birthday gifts or other occasions. To make a donation, simply visit www.thoroughbredcharities.org for donation options.

• VITALS™ Program Launched by Kentucky Horse Council

A new program called VITALS™, introduced by the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) in early July, will assist horse owners in communicating basic health indicators to their veterinarians when illness, injury or disease is suspected.

The KHC Health and Welfare Committee, whose members include veterinarians and professionals in the animal health and welfare field, developed VITALS™ under the direction of Dr. T.D. Byars of Byars Equine Advisory. The program is quite simple: a stethoscope, thermometer, instructional poster, and information booklet comprise the VITALS™ kit.

“We want to equip every horse barn, from the private horse owner to the commercial operation, with a stethoscope and thermometer and the skills to use them,” Byars explained.

Over the course of the summer, the KHC weekly e-newsletter, “Kentucky Horse,” will feature educational articles written by Byars on the assessment and interpretation of equine vital signs. These online articles will compliment the eight-page instructional booklet and laminated poster included with the kit.

“VITALS™ is a link for responsible horse owners to connect with their veterinarians to develop an informed relationship to manage the health and well-being of their horses,” asserted KHC Board Presiden Madelyn Millard. “All horse owners should talk to their veterinarians and learn how to use a stethoscope and assess vital signs properly.”

Proceeds from the sale of VITALS™ support KHC health and welfare programs which include livestock investigation training for officials, health and welfare educational materials, geld vouchers for low income horse owners, and various other programs to improve the well-being of Kentucky horses. VITALS™ kits can be purchased directly from the Kentucky Horse Council at www.kentuckyhorse.org/vitals/ or by calling (859) 367-0509.

VITALS™ is made possible in part by sponsorship from Byars Equine Advisory and Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

• Biosecurity Is Best Defense Against Spread of Infectious Diseases

On Behalf of the Equine Research Coordination Group by Alanna Kirby MS, Freshman Professional Veterinary Medical Student at Colorado State University, and Josie Traub-Dargatz DVM, MS, DACVIM, Professor of Equine Medicine at the Animal Population Health Institute at Colorado State University.

Biosecurity is the outcome from implementing protocols to reduce the chances of introducing an infectious disease onto a farm by people, animals and equipment or vehicles, either accidentally or intentionally.

A variety of approaches can help ensure the biosecurity of an equine facility and its horses. A plan should include the awareness of current and emerging diseases (and risks specific to a geographic area); the potential routes of exposure to disease agents; and the means by which they can be transmitted. A program that incorporates principles of biosecurity will reduce the risk of infectious disease and their associated costs enhance the well-being of horses and improve profitability.

Transmission of infectious diseases involves the transfer of disease-causing microorganisms from one location to another, particularly from an external environment to a susceptible animal. Exposure to disease-causing agents can occur in many ways, including:

• Exposure to contaminated drinking water and/or feed;
• Exposure to rodent or bird droppings;
• Aerosols (infectious agents spread through the air);
• Direct contact with other animals;
• Fomites (inanimate objects), including contaminated equipment;
• Contact with insect vectors (carriers of disease);
• Breeding;
• Contact with contaminated vehicle surfaces;
• Human foot traffic; and
• Contact with contaminated hands and clothing.

People who manage horses at a facility should know the health and nutritional status of each animal; maintain accurate and detailed health records; and have a vaccination protocol based on a veterinarian’s recommendations. Preventative measures that are low cost and easy to implement include written visitor policies, protocols for cleaning, and a plan of action if a horse develops an infectious disease.

• Reducing Exposure

The two major components of an infection control program are the reduction of the risk of exposure to disease agents and the optimization of resistance if exposure occurs.

Enhancing horses’ resistance to infectious disease can begin by providing good nutrition, including supplementation of any needed micronutrients based on feed analysis; by providing housing and transport that has optimal air quality; and by reducing stressors where possible. Enhancing resistance to specific pathogens is often accomplished through vaccination. A vaccination plan can be optimized when it is tailored to the individual horse and herd by a veterinarian, who will consider the risk of exposure; the cost, effectiveness and safety of the vaccine; and the disease risk aversion level of the horse owner.

The most efficient method in which contagious infectious diseases are spread is direct horse-to-horse contact. Therefore, verifying the health status and vaccination requirements of horses that are newly introduced to the herd and isolating new arrivals can reduce the risk they pose. Creating an isolation area allows newly arriving or sick animals to be separated from the resident population for a designated period of time.

An additional precaution is to keep horses in small groups that are separated by disease risk status (susceptibility if exposed and likelihood for exposure). From the standpoint of controlling a contagious disease, horses ideally would be kept in a closed herd their entire lives. However, interaction with other horses often is necessary because of competitive events or breeding purposes. Thus, options to reduce risk include turning out horses in separate, dedicated turn-out facilities; keeping horses in established groups with a small number of horses that do not mix with each other; or keeping horses separate for at least a period equal to the average disease incubation periods before the animals join the resident population.

• Protocols for Visitors

Pathogens (any disease-producing agent or microorganism) can be transferred from one facility to another through the movement of people or equipment. They can be carried on clothing, footwear and hands, and on equipment such as grooming utensils or tack.

Protocols at an equine facility should be designed to assure clean hands, footwear, clothing and equipment for visitors to reduce the risk of introducing a disease agent. A sign to indicate that visitors should check in at an entry point to the facility should be used. Also, a way to determine each person’s exposure to outside horses, as well as having an associated hygiene protocol based on risk, is recommended. Recording the movement of horses and people can assist in an investigation of a disease outbreak.

• Disinfecting Surfaces

The design of the equine facility also is important to biosecurity. Non-porous smooth surfaces are the easiest to clean and disinfect. Unfortunately, most stalls and barns are not conducive to thorough cleaning, as the walls are often made of porous materials such as wood or concrete block, and floors are often sand, dirt or compact clay. These types of surfaces cannot be sufficiently cleaned if contaminated with disease-causing agents such as Salmonella, and are impossible to thoroughly disinfect with commercial disinfectants because the action of most disinfectants is reduced by organic material that is not removed by prior thorough cleaning.

Roberta M. Dwyer, DVM, MS, of the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center suggests an option for improving an existing horse stall is to thoroughly clean walls, patch knots with wood filler, and seal walls with a varnish or polyurethane. The result is a smooth, waterproof surface that can be cleaned and disinfected easily.

When choosing a cleaning/disinfecting solution, consult an equine veterinarian to determine when application is indicated. The veterinarian should be able to provide guidance in the effectiveness of various disinfectants depending on the surface to be treated; the likelihood a product will be corrosive to surfaces; the pathogens of concern; and the precautions necessary in using various disinfectants.

More research and funding are needed to determine the effectiveness of various biosecurity protocols in specific situations. Research also would explore the most effective cleaning and disinfection methods, taking into consideration the pathogens of concern; the cost of the product; the time required and timing for application; the effectiveness on the surfaces; and the environmental impact of application. It would be beneficial to continue the study of such questions, in the hope of providing a clearer set of instructions for equine facilities to follow as they work to enhance biosecurity.

The veterinary community needs your assistance to increase funding for research on musculoskeletal diseases, tendon and ligament injuries and other equine diseases. Please contact the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation (www.aaepfoundation.org), the American Quarter Horse Foundation (www.aqha.com/foundation), Grayson Jockey-Club Research Foundation (www.grayson-jockeyclub.org), Morris Animal Foundation (www.morrisanimalfoundation.org) or your favorite veterinary school or research institution to make a contribution towards equine research.

The ERCG is a group that comprises researchers and organizations that support equine research. Participants in the ERCG include equine Foundations and multiple university research representatives.

• Dr. Rick Sams to Direct New Laboratory in Kentucky

The English-based HFL Sports Science laboratory has hired Dr. Rick Sams, former University of Florida Racing Laboratory program director, as its director. Starting in 2011, HFL will be conducting drug testing on samples for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, a contract previously awarded to the University of Florida Racing Laboratory from 2009 through 2010.

Dr. Sams has over 30 years of experience in developing and validating new testing methods, as well as studying pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs and other substances in racehorses. Prior to his work at the University of Florida, Dr. Sams was a professor and director of the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University.

A subsidiary of Quotient Bioresearch Ltd., HFL conducts drug testing for tracks in Great Britain out of its Newmarket, England, laboratory, and is in the process of opening a new facility in Lexington, Kentucky, where Dr. Sams will be based.

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