AHIC Equine Influenza - Effects on Horses – Reminder to complete!

There is keen interest in the horse industry to determine the effects of the Equine Influenza outbreak on horses. Particular interest is in the number of horses that might have died from “catching the flu.”

This survey is directed at people who have had horses caught up in the EI emergency in NSW and QLD. Many horses never caught EI despite being in a red or purple zone. It is estimated that about 80,000 horses became infected between August and December 2007 in NSW and QLD. This survey is designed to determine how many horses became ill from EI, how many died from the effects of EI, and what the associated costs were.

This information will provide further evidence of the problems that have been encountered by horse owners and horse carers over the past few months.

This survey is destined to finish on 22 February 2008, so please gather any relevant information and complete the survey before then.

http://www.surveymaster.com/AHIC/Q3.asp

Families could sue 'over-ambitious' gymkhana mother who doped other children's ponies

A woman accused of doping ponies in a junior gymkhana to boost her son's chances of winning is likely to be sued.

Kim Baudains was questioned by police over allegations that she fed doped mints to four ponies belonging to rivals of her 12-year-old son Josh.
The ponies, which were competing in last year's showjumping championship on the island of Jersey, tested positive for the tranquilliser acetylpromazine, or ACP.
But officers were unable to press charges due to a loophole in Jersey law which means it is not illegal to give sedatives to animals.
Now three of the families whose ponies were doped are considering legal action against Mrs Baudains, claiming their children's lives were put at risk.
They also claim some of the ponies are permanently affected and that the doping was not a one-off but a long-term campaign to help Josh and his mount Ku-Hi Charisma.
The parents will decide whether to launch legal action after the results of an independent inquiry by the British Showjumping Association due in the next few days.
Local association members will also be asked to decide whether Josh's membership of the association should be revoked, and whether he should be banned from competing in their events, the focus of Jersey's showjumping calendar.
Divorced mother-of-two Mrs Baudains, 37, a well-known figure on Jersey's showjumping circuit, strenuously denies that she drugged the horses.
She admits feeding mints to some horses - including the champion Conrhenry Thumbelina - but claims the sweets were not doped.
But vet Ben Linnell has confirmed that Mrs Baudains was given several tablets of ACP less than a week before the competition.
Mr Linnell said the drugs were given in good faith as Mrs Baudains claimed she wanted to sedate one of her ponies during clipping.
The Jersey showjumping community is furious that no prosecution is possible.
One British Showjumping Association member said: 'We are livid to think that, in the whole of Jersey law, nothing can be done to protect our children or stop a person from taking action which endangers the life of our children.
'It has changed the whole atmosphere of Jersey showjumping. Nobody leaves their pony unattended now.'
Another described Mrs Baudains as 'extremely competitive' and ' determined her son will be a champion'.
The member added it was a ' typical case of living your own ambitions through your children'.
Mrs Baudains said: 'They cannot suspend my son's membership. I have not done anything wrong.'

Burke orders major quarantine review

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke has ordered a wide-ranging review into whether the appropriate systems are in place to protect Australia's agricultural sector from disease.
An independent panel, to be headed by former Environment Department secretary Roger Beale, will assess the nation's quarantine and biosecurity systems after the horse flu outbreak last year.

Horse racing in NSW and south-east Queensland came to a standstill when equine influenza was detected last August leading to widespread quarantining and restriction of horse movements in eastern Australia.
The first case of horse flu in Australia was detected in a thoroughbred stallion at Sydney's Eastern Creek quarantine facility on August 23. The horse had travelled from the northern hemisphere and was awaiting release.
The broad review of quarantine procedures will run separately but concurrently, to an inquiry into the outbreak being conducted by former High Court justice Ian Callinan.
Mr Burke told parliament the outbreak had showed how important it was for Australia's biosecurity procedures to be up to scratch.
"We're in a world of increased international movements and in so many ways the world itself is getting smaller, which has particular challenges for our biosecurity system," he said.
"(And) in an age of climate change we also have the problem of the migration of pets and weeds and the further biosecurity problems that come with that.
"We need to maintain our biodiversity, protect public health and ensure our primary industries aren't further burdened by pests and diseases, whether it be the outbreaks of foot and mouth in the United Kingdom, avian influenza throughout many parts of the world or new diseases such as SARS."
The review will have wide terms of reference and look at a range of issues including the functions of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) and Biosecurity Australia, the scope and adequacy of current animal and plant quarantine systems, as well as the effectiveness of import and export inspection and certification procedures.
"I cannot begin to say how important it is to make sure we get our systems in place so that we can provide the maximum level of protection to be available through our quarantine and biosecurity processes," Mr Burke said.
The Beale review is due to report to Mr Burke by July 31, 2008.
The minister said any resulting changes to quarantine and biosecurity system would be part of the 2009 budget.

James and flu vaccination

I have just read of the plight of james and his filly (14th Feb)and the adverse effects of the flu vaccine, james I really feel for you and the filly, I do not believe you are on your own with this I know of two in my area that have suffered the same.What does concern me is the fact that the authorities obiviously didnt take the time to really look into a vaccine (due diligence ) that was untested for the horses out here,and, was going to have side effects, and had not challenged the flu virus family (florida) and the strains of Ohio/03 and S/A03,florida family (the virus out here was Wiscosin/03 )as the killed vaccine had successfully done this and offered no side effects, and was available from day one and they knew this. (this vaccine was only one of many that were used in Sth Africa.) And to top this off Aust.animal health purchased Oct., 9th 44.000 doses of the killed vaccine, where did it go.I made some phone calls and it was confirmed by the manufacturer and the DPI that the doses went to priority horses and breeding stallions, 44.000 is a lot of horses, the public being told gmo only and then AHA,use the killed vaccine, how hypocritical (I dont think many racehorses stopped their stopped their training program for spring time did they). MY concern now they (DPI) have as good as said the flu has been erradicated,what now. As a breeder and competitor my horses have not had the flu or vaccinated, so,I would like as precaution vaccinate my horses before flu season gets here, the rest of the world vaccinate,to prevent, using vaccines of their choice, I asked the DPI if this was possible the answer= the vaccine is now the cost of $24 plus the vet so it is not only expensive but still not available, the permit expires 19th march, cant use the killed vaccine, so they told me it a matter of wait and see if it does break out again, if it does , they will be better equipped to cope with it. Is it not better to prevent now, particularly those horses that were not vaccinated (in buffer zones and green zones).I am now in the process of working with the member of parliament in my area to hopefully get Canberra to listen and give us as responsible horse owners a choice, if, vaccination does become mandoraty with the TBs, we should be able to vaccinate with a choice, is not this country democractic.
We should not become complacement. the FMD broke out last year in the U.K 1 week after erradication of the virus was announced.
What happens now to the horses that were in the green zone all the time and they have no papers of immunity of any kind, vaccination or by having the flu, do these horses now become restricted in the shows they can enter for, seems to me as so, also the sale of horses, immunity papers to go with the horse , if this is so again what happens to the horses that were never vaccinated because they were in the green zone, and the vaccine if you wished to, or were game enough to use the gmo , it wasn't available anyway.
Who gained the most out of all this, what a wonderful big field testing lab Australia is.
Pam.