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EQUINE MATTERS
B IOSECUR I TY
Veterinary surgeon
Claire Hodgson
XLVets Equine practice
Wright & Morten
Veterinary Surgeons
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good hygiene practice and knowledge
of the signs of common infectious
diseases;
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strict policies for the introduction of new
horses onto a yard;
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use of vaccination policies where
appropriate.
The prevention of infectious disease
relies on three main factors:
Principles and
failures
of biosecurity
Biosecurity is a set of management practices that help minimise the
potential for the spread of infectious disease-causing agents between
individual horses. It is something that both individual owners and yards
MUST be equally responsible for. There are many infectious diseases
common to the UK such as:
Streptococcus equi
'Strangles', Equine
Influenza (EI), Equine Herpesvirus (EHV), salmonella and 'ringworm'.
Claire Hodgson BVetMed Cert AVP(EM) MRCVS,
Wright & Morten
Principles
of biosecurity
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wash hands before and after handling
horses;
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don't share tack, grooming equipment
or feed/water buckets;
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regularly clean mangers, water
troughs/drinkers, tack, rugs and
vehicles used for transport;
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individuals caring for horses should
know the signs of infectious disease
and monitor their horse’s behaviour
and signs daily;
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when away from home minimise direct
contact with other horses and avoid
sharing water/feed/nets.
Simple things make a big difference
in preventing infectious disease: