Horse flu Epidemic spreading to other Australian stables
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Horse flu Epidemic spreading to other Australian stables*
By Glenn Davis
September 25, 2007 09:46am
Article from: AAP
EQUINE influenza (EI) appears to be spreading rapidly in Brisbane with
three more Hendra stables now showing early signs of the highly
contagious disease.
Two suspected cases of EI were discovered yesterday for the first time
among Brisbane's racehorse population which has shutdown racing at Eagle
Farm and Doomben indefinitely.
Seven horses stabled with Peter Hulbert at Hendra showed clinical signs
of horse flu and tests from two of the horses have been sent to Geelong
for official confirmation, which is due later today.
Hulbert said his neighbours, trainers Kelly Schweida, Desleigh Forster
and Kelso Wood now had horses with the early signs of EI.
Schweida said none of his stable appeared to have elevated temperatures
but some had developed a cough, one of the early symptoms of the disease.
Hulbert said he had no idea how the disease spread to his stable.
"Yesterday my son and I went through our normal routine and took all the
temperatures of our horses. They've always been between 37.4 and 38
which is common," he said.
"Yesterday two showed temperatures of 38.2 and 38.4 and I didn't become
overly concerned but I did raise my eyebrows.
"I contacted my vet later in the morning and those two horses'
temperatures rose to 38.4 and 38.8 and by then six of them were all
coughing at various times.
"My vet said he's 90 per cent certain the tests will come back positive
and I'm hoping the strain is weakening as it goes.
"But the sooner we can get all these horses infected the better.''