Equine Influenza

[Horsy]

It's getting pretty scary. Yesterday there was only 2 cases in Warwick (not far from where I live) and today there are over 60 in Warwick. Plus hundreds of cases across 3 states. It's spreading so fast and can be deadly. I'm very worried for my horses. My mate was at the Warwick show on the weekend and now her horse is stuck up there. Horses aren't allowed to leave their properties for 72 hours - now they say it might be til the weekend - not even for a trail ride. I hope people abide by these rules and I hope they can get this under control though I was told it is also spread by mosquitos so this could potentially be very devestating.

[junglepython2]

I didnt think it was generally deadly?

[rednut]

Agreed-it sure is spreading-......but......
Having a little bit of knowledge about these sort of illnesses, I would say it has been around for a while and is just getting noticed now (hence the seemingly exponential increase in the number of cases). People only find something like this when they go looking for it.........

But yeah, it is getting bad atm, just gonna have to wait and see what happens in the next week or so, I hope your friends mount misses out on it.

[Horsy]

A mate said she heard that 2 horses in Warwick have died and I rang up the hotline to get info about it and they said that it scars the lungs and is particulary bad for racehorses because when they gallop they can't breathe properly and can die, same goes for eventers.

[Horsy]

Originally Posted by rednut

Agreed-it sure is spreading-......but......
Having a little bit of knowledge about these sort of illnesses, I would say it has been around for a while and is just getting noticed now (hence the seemingly exponential increase in the number of cases). People only find something like this when they go looking for it.........
But yeah, it is getting bad atm, just gonna have to wait and see what happens in the next week or so, I hope your friends mount misses out on it.

Yeah I remember reading about it last year in America. A few years ago it killed heaps of horses because it was a very nasty mutation of the influenza and a few racing studs got shut down because they lost most of their horses.

[Horsy]

I'm reading some news articles and they say this strain right now can be fatal but is quite rare so thank god for that. I wonder if that scarring thing is true.

[GEARJAMMER]

good tucker for the dog

[Midol]

I doubt it has been in Australia before, it is an incredibly fast moving infection and increadibly easy to transmit. There has not been a single case of it here before.

I saw some idiots moving horses today. I just felt like shooting them.

[mysnakesau]

I hope the Birdsville races are still on, I have planned to go there this weekend.

[spilota_variegata]

What amazes me are the losses some are claiming for stud fees. One person stated they were losing $220,000 per stud fee, which amounted to $40,000,000 a year. I asked a mate of mine who is heavily into horses and he knows of a person who charges $440,000 a service. That equates to $80,000,000 for stud fees for one horse... I was gobsmacked. Got to sell my snakes and buy horses

[Midol]

They wont be imo.

I am betting that a 30 day ban will come down.

[lauraschram]

im a veterinary science student - our university/vet hospital is giving us a lecture on it tomorrow so ill fill you guys in with the official gossip tomorrow night if you like?

[Horsy]

It's because of all the huge international studs have just arrived in australia, some worth $500 mill. They've brought the flu with them.

[Horsy]

That'll be great laura! Thanks.

[Hetty]

$500 mil? How on earth can a stallion be worth $500 mil? they said the combined value of two stallions in quarantine was $170 mil, that I can understand.. but $500 mil is crazy.

Especially when you consider Makybe Diva's progeny will be sold for $4-5 mil each..