Chairman’s Report
Deon van Tonder
Wellington Animal Hospital
Cell: 083-6314603
Chairman SA Equine Veterinary Association
This is my first report for Equine Health Update as
SAEVA president. I want to thank SAEVA members
for the trust put in me to lead the way for the next
two years. I also want to make use of the opportunity
to invite all SEAVA members to participate and be
actively involved in the day to day activities of SAEVA.
Any suggestions and positive criticism is welcome.
Our annual SAEVA Congress held at Skukuza in the
Kruger National Park was again a huge success with
in excess of 100 veterinarians attending. We also
had several foreign veterinarians from Europe, Africa
and Australia attending. The academic program
was of a very high standard with amongst others,
Bruce Bladan, Sarah Puchaliski and Christine Smith
lecturing.
Topics varied form diagnostic imaging of the distal
limb to reproduction and infectious disease. Several
local speakers also contributed to the program to
ensure a wide variety of topics to fulfil the needs of
all the delegates. I want to congratulate Madaleen
Schultheiss and her team from Vetlink for a job well
done under difficult circumstances.
The confirmation of horse sickness in two horses in
the Porterville district just outside the surveillance
zone is a big concern, not only for the Thoroughbred
industry, but for the whole equine industry in South
Africa. The origin of the infection is still unknown,
but is suspected to be a field strain. Quarantine is
currently imposed on the Porterville/Saron district
until further notice.
All collegues are encouraged to help impose and
respect the movement restrictions of horses to the
Western Cape to get the ban on the export of horses
lifted as soon as possible. Any queries on the current
status of movement restrictions to the Western Cape
can be taken up with Dr Gary Buhrman and the State
Veterinarian Boland Offices at telephone number:
021 808 5253.
veterinarians to report the presence of internal and
external parasites, Bacterial Disease, Viral Disease,
Venereal Disease, Insect Transmittable Disease and
Tick Borne Disease in their respective areas.
The cost of putting a report like this together on
a monthly basis is very high and pose quite a
challenge. Any suggestions and ideas to make this a
reality can be forwarded to me by e-mail to: tonder@
iafrica.com.
All members of the SAEVA are invited to join the
equine discussion group “equinevetsafrica”. This
is a google group initiated by Louis Gouws on
behalf of the SAEVA and is open to all veterinarians
with an equine interest. To join the group, go to
[email protected] and request to
become a member. The aim of the group is to gain/
share knowledge, rapid distribution of information
regarding disease outbreaks and any other matter
pertaini