WSDA Warning Horse Owners About Equine Influenza

The Washington state Department of Agriculture is warning horse owners, now is the time to vaccinate your animals against the Equine Influenza.  Washington state veterinarian Dr. Brian Joseph said this highly contagious disease is found everywhere on earth, with the exceptions of Iceland and New Zealand.  He said because of veterinary bills, and training days lost, Horse Flu is very costly, and it doesn’t have to be.

“It’s a preventable disease through immunization and the virus has been maintained throughout the world, by occasional clinical cases, inapparent infections, and lapses in immunizations.”

Joseph noted that the Horse Flu is very different from West Nile.  He added vaccination can be annual, but the frequency ultimately depends on the activity level of the horse.

“If someone has a horse that is mostly sedentary, doesn’t move around, doesn’t interact with other horses, probably an annual immunization is appropriate.  If someone does shows, where they take the horses to training events, more frequent vaccinations are necessary.  Because the immunization is very, very short lived.”

Dr. Joseph noted horses, donkeys and even dogs can contract this flu, but humans cannot.

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