Risk Reduction
INFECTIOUS DISEASES ARE A CONSTANT RISK to the health
and welfare of horses. The threat of strangles,
influenza, equine herpesvirus, rotavirus, Salmonella,
Rhodococcus, etc. are only some of the reasons for a
comprehensive vaccination program. However, no vaccine
is 100% effective, and vaccines are not commercially
available for many diseases, including the dreaded
salmonellosis.
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However, multiple farm management techniques can have
a significant influence on reducing the risk of disease
outbreaks. Not all are as labor intensive as completely
disinfecting stalls and aisleways. These techniques
include:
• Group horses of similar uses. Show horses,
yearlings, broodmares, riding horses, should not be
commingled.
• Plan a traffic pattern to take farriers,
veterinarians, and other personnel to barns and pastures
with at-risk horses (e.g., pregnant mares or mares and
foals) first, and work toward horses that have multiple
exposures to pathogens (show and trail riding horses).
• Isolate any new horses to the farm for a minimum of
14 days, and ideally 21 days. The horse can be monitored
for infectious diseases, and any necessary vaccinations
and deworming can be completed at that time.
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• Isolate horses returning from a hospital stay for
similar periods of time. The stress of transportation
and medical procedures can lower horses’ immunity, and
they may come in contact with other equine patients,
some of which may be shedding pathogens.
• If a horse is observed as being sick (cough, runny
nose/eyes, diarrhea, fever, etc.), it should be isolated
immediately and protective clothing utilized by everyone
working with the animal: disposable gloves and booties
and coveralls should be re-used only with that horse. Be
sure to provide alternative gloves for employees who are
allergic to latex, such as gloves made of nitrile or
vinyl.
• Stalls of sick horses should be mucked out last,
and preferably separately, using pitchforks, shovels,
and other tools that are properly disinfected prior to
their next use. Alternatively, use separate tools for
healthy horses’ stalls and a different set for sick
animals’ stalls.
• Manure and bedding from stalls housing sick
animals, including those experiencing abortions, should
not be spread on fields. This material should be
composted away from all animals or disposed of in a
manner approved by local ordinances.
• In every barn provide running water, liquid hand
soap (pump-style container), and disposable paper towels
for handwashing. All employees should wash their hands
prior to leaving at the end of their shift, and in the
midst of a disease problem, they should thoroughly wash
their hands after working with sick animals, whether or
not they were wearing disposable gloves. During an
outbreak or when running water is not available, have
waterless hand foams or gels (at least 62% ethyl
alcohol) to use after handling horses. Remind employees
that these products are flammable!
• Rodent control is paramount year-round! One barn
mouse can ingest Salmonella and be a multiplication
factory better than any petri dish. The mouse droppings
contain enormous amounts of bacteria that can
effectively seed the horse’s environment and feed supply
with infectious bacteria. Insect, bird, and bat control
are also important. Remove standing water, bird nests,
and other habitats. Hire professionals for removal of
bat roosts and also for difficult rodent or wildlife
control.
• Clean and disinfect stalls, water buckets, grooming
tools, pitchforks, and other items routinely, and
increase the frequency during an outbreak situation.
• Most importantly, communicate and educate employees
and enforce biosecurity procedures on the farm.
CONTACT: Dr. Roberta Dwyer, (859) 257-4757, rmdwyer@uky.edu,
Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of
Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
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