Horse flu strikes again

Kelly Robinson 12 December 2007

Terrey Hills veterinary nurse Demia de Tonnerre lost her beloved mare Birdie on Friday from equine influenza.
The riding pony's trachea collapsed after it contracted a secondary infection.
This was the pony's second bout of the flu after she was first diagnosed in September.
Birdie is the second known horse flu death on the peninsula.
Palomino Riding School owner Cheryl Ludlow lost one of her horses earlier this year.
The peninsula remains a special restricted purple zone, which the NSW Department of Primary Industries has labelled an area with a high rate of infection.
High personal, horse vehicle and equipment biosecurity are mandatory to leave purple zones.
Ms de Tonnerre said she was devastated to lose Birdie, who was entered for the Sydney Royal Easter Show next year.
"She was 100 per cent healthy before the second bout of the horse flu,'' she said. "She died from the so-called 'harmless' equine influenza.
"Ironically, the rest of my horses had been vaccinated just a week before she died.
"The fact the races are back on means absolutely nothing. The carnage is still continuing.
"I've spent around $8000 trying to keep her alive and I only had her for a year.
"This flu is killing a lot of horses. They keep saying it's harmless but we know full well it's not.
"They're all getting sick again.
"People need to be aware that the horse flu is still out there and horses are dying from it.''