Review of EI Infection Moonbi
Having just discovered your site after 3 arduous weeks of hard work, I finally had the time to read the many comments from your forum, now that our 8 horses have passed through the EI Virus, I recognize the emotions, concerns and frustrations of so many of your readers.
We share a boundary with the Moonbi Sports Grounds, one of the sites placed under lockdown on August 25th with some 27 competitors and 38 horses after a major Dressage Competition. The minute word spread (midday Saturday) We moved our horses away from boundaries, rang our vet for information and waited for the DPI to include the Moonbi Community ( a very Horse intensive area) in their briefings. I do not wish to relate all the avenues we pursued,( even asking for permission, unsuccessfully I might add once we were infected, to attend the Daily Lockdown briefings ) but it suffices to say that it was extensive and to this Day we are yet to see a DPI representative at our property. Even after their Media Dept Spokesperson informed our Regional Newspaper that they had expected the surrounding horses to contract this highly infectious disease. I do not wish now to waste further energy on the Support given to a few with the majority of people placed in the EI Path having been completely left to fend for themselves, it serves no purpose. However if my following comments can help those of you in the path and yet to fall victim to the virus I hope some good can come from our experience.
In hindsight with the knowledge gained I would have pushed harder for a Community Meeting. Whether graced by the DPI or not. At this meeting I would have made these enquiries:
1. What Vets would be available to make calls to Quarantined Properties (we had one sole Vet who was calling on infected properties in the entire Tamworth District . (In our case we spoke regularly to our Vet by phone, running symptoms past him and had our prescribed treatments bought out to us parked outside his practise) If your horse is presenting a secondary infection you may not have the time to wait until a vet can get to you.
2. As we had to bring horses in from larger paddocks and handling was more intensive Feed requirements were increased. Check with Fodder Merchants. They were not allowed to deliver onto infected properties and were making drops over front fences. Stock pile feed if necessary as vehicles used around horses required permits to move. They were also filling the DPI 's order for the Sports Ground Lockdown, which we were told would create shortages on feed we regularly used. We found it necessary to pick up some sort of sweet feed and molasses to hide the taste of drugs administered.
3. Once Quarantined the delivery of Horse Bedding eg. wood shavings was halted. No trucks were allowed onto properties.
4. Your normal vehicle will need to be kept away from horses especially if you need to run in and out of work.
5. You will probably want to limit visits to town, especially with the BioSecurity and hygiene requests so shopping, prescriptions, necessities etc. would best be done in advance. We were so naive, thinking all our Hygiene and biosecurity was enough.
6. When paying for Horse Related items the $1500 Hardship Fund is available to some , however accounts must be unpaid and submitted for payment to Centrelink, you may need to open accounts with your suppliers. I still believe the Govt should allow people to pay their suppliers then claim these monies back at a later date, they are only compounding the hardship down the line. We chose to continue trading on a cash basis but these Govt Grants should be used, especially with the added financial costs not budgeted for by horse owners.
7. Obviously it goes without saying, disinfectant is required, Detol is quite satisfactory or something similar, we used a 20% solution, we had not received the Disinfectant pack or any signage as others have reported receiving. A Thermometer will assist with identifying early signs and your horses progress, Down Load the Temp chart from DPI site, (we used a white board at the stable block, easier to track horses progress at a glance)
8. Anti biotics and Bute were necessary to administer, there were shortages initially and fortunately we were able to source further requirements outside the area. I was also told afterwards that an Immune Boost injection could be given by your vet, but the horse required it at the very beginning and it was not cheap.
9. I guess it goes without saying, be very vigilant, our horses showed signs a day or so before any real symptoms were obvious. I noticed them camping up under trees or in corners of paddocks more than usual.
10. My next suggestion goes directly against the DPI directives, however by its very nature once Quarantined Property Owners are isolated within their community especially in the absence of the DPI. Try and get a network of others in your area before infection locks you in. At least you can compare situations and be there for each other, even if only by phone.
The Virus Hit us as it did most other property owners down our valley, traveling up to three kms in one morning (it was explained as traveling in an aerosol manner) there was nothing else for us to do but to hunker down and whether the storm. It has been a harrowing experience to say the least and I wish each and every one of you well.
I experienced enormous frustration and anger at the DPI as we were basically told they were not interested in testing our horses once we reported their infection. As the immediate area was already infected they were focusing their resources on cases being reported on the perimeters of the exclusion zones. I now realize that they are really only operating as Storm Chasers and do not have the funding or resources to provide any real support to those of us left in its wake. This does not help any of you I know, and personally I find it inexcusable that the Australian Equine Public has been treated so shabbily, I just hope that some where in the future this whole disaster brings a better response for, and awareness of, the value this Industry has within the Australian Economy.
Jenny - Moonbi NSW
We share a boundary with the Moonbi Sports Grounds, one of the sites placed under lockdown on August 25th with some 27 competitors and 38 horses after a major Dressage Competition. The minute word spread (midday Saturday) We moved our horses away from boundaries, rang our vet for information and waited for the DPI to include the Moonbi Community ( a very Horse intensive area) in their briefings. I do not wish to relate all the avenues we pursued,( even asking for permission, unsuccessfully I might add once we were infected, to attend the Daily Lockdown briefings ) but it suffices to say that it was extensive and to this Day we are yet to see a DPI representative at our property. Even after their Media Dept Spokesperson informed our Regional Newspaper that they had expected the surrounding horses to contract this highly infectious disease. I do not wish now to waste further energy on the Support given to a few with the majority of people placed in the EI Path having been completely left to fend for themselves, it serves no purpose. However if my following comments can help those of you in the path and yet to fall victim to the virus I hope some good can come from our experience.
In hindsight with the knowledge gained I would have pushed harder for a Community Meeting. Whether graced by the DPI or not. At this meeting I would have made these enquiries:
1. What Vets would be available to make calls to Quarantined Properties (we had one sole Vet who was calling on infected properties in the entire Tamworth District . (In our case we spoke regularly to our Vet by phone, running symptoms past him and had our prescribed treatments bought out to us parked outside his practise) If your horse is presenting a secondary infection you may not have the time to wait until a vet can get to you.
2. As we had to bring horses in from larger paddocks and handling was more intensive Feed requirements were increased. Check with Fodder Merchants. They were not allowed to deliver onto infected properties and were making drops over front fences. Stock pile feed if necessary as vehicles used around horses required permits to move. They were also filling the DPI 's order for the Sports Ground Lockdown, which we were told would create shortages on feed we regularly used. We found it necessary to pick up some sort of sweet feed and molasses to hide the taste of drugs administered.
3. Once Quarantined the delivery of Horse Bedding eg. wood shavings was halted. No trucks were allowed onto properties.
4. Your normal vehicle will need to be kept away from horses especially if you need to run in and out of work.
5. You will probably want to limit visits to town, especially with the BioSecurity and hygiene requests so shopping, prescriptions, necessities etc. would best be done in advance. We were so naive, thinking all our Hygiene and biosecurity was enough.
6. When paying for Horse Related items the $1500 Hardship Fund is available to some , however accounts must be unpaid and submitted for payment to Centrelink, you may need to open accounts with your suppliers. I still believe the Govt should allow people to pay their suppliers then claim these monies back at a later date, they are only compounding the hardship down the line. We chose to continue trading on a cash basis but these Govt Grants should be used, especially with the added financial costs not budgeted for by horse owners.
7. Obviously it goes without saying, disinfectant is required, Detol is quite satisfactory or something similar, we used a 20% solution, we had not received the Disinfectant pack or any signage as others have reported receiving. A Thermometer will assist with identifying early signs and your horses progress, Down Load the Temp chart from DPI site, (we used a white board at the stable block, easier to track horses progress at a glance)
8. Anti biotics and Bute were necessary to administer, there were shortages initially and fortunately we were able to source further requirements outside the area. I was also told afterwards that an Immune Boost injection could be given by your vet, but the horse required it at the very beginning and it was not cheap.
9. I guess it goes without saying, be very vigilant, our horses showed signs a day or so before any real symptoms were obvious. I noticed them camping up under trees or in corners of paddocks more than usual.
10. My next suggestion goes directly against the DPI directives, however by its very nature once Quarantined Property Owners are isolated within their community especially in the absence of the DPI. Try and get a network of others in your area before infection locks you in. At least you can compare situations and be there for each other, even if only by phone.
The Virus Hit us as it did most other property owners down our valley, traveling up to three kms in one morning (it was explained as traveling in an aerosol manner) there was nothing else for us to do but to hunker down and whether the storm. It has been a harrowing experience to say the least and I wish each and every one of you well.
I experienced enormous frustration and anger at the DPI as we were basically told they were not interested in testing our horses once we reported their infection. As the immediate area was already infected they were focusing their resources on cases being reported on the perimeters of the exclusion zones. I now realize that they are really only operating as Storm Chasers and do not have the funding or resources to provide any real support to those of us left in its wake. This does not help any of you I know, and personally I find it inexcusable that the Australian Equine Public has been treated so shabbily, I just hope that some where in the future this whole disaster brings a better response for, and awareness of, the value this Industry has within the Australian Economy.
Jenny - Moonbi NSW
posted by Horse Deals at
12:55 pm
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