Equine Health Update Issue 2 Volume 19 | Page 17

EQUINE | Equine Disease Update Infectious Disease Control Article reprinted from The Horse, March 2017, page 25. The Horse is published by The Horse Media Group LLC. Maureen Gallatin ; Stacey Oke,DVM MSC Preventing, Controlling Infectious Disease No Easy Feat J osie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, of Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, is the equine com- modity specialist for the Center of Epidemiology and Animal Health at the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. She spearheaded the latest National Animal Health Monitoring Survey, Equine 2015. Traub-Dargatz emphasized the importance of tailoring a biosecurity protocol to the unique aspects of each equine operation and implementing those disease con- trol strategies carefully. “Biosecurity practices for controlling infection are only as effective as the weakest link in their implementation,” she said. “If nine out of 10 equine care providers wash their hands when moving between segregated horses, the one provider who does not wash their hands can introduce or spread pathogens (diseasecausing organ- isms) even though the other nine providers (did follow protocol).” Traub-Dargatz encouraged veterinarians to set a posi- tive example for other equine care providers by consis- tently practicing appropriate hygiene protocols, even in times of health. She recommended various options for infectious dis- ease prevention and control. At the top of that list: vac- cinating at-risk horses per AAEP vaccination guidelines. She also emphasized how horse owners, farm manag- ers, and event organizers should support and trust their veterinarians as important sources of information. Veterinarians and scientists have developed several in- fectious disease control manuals and toolkits based o n lessons learned during previous disease outbreaks (such as Equine Guelph’s biosecurity risk calculator and the Equine Biosecurity Toolkit for Equine Events). But infec- tious disease outbreaks are still occurring. Despite best-laid plans, infectious and contagious dis- ease will occur in certain groups of horses (e.g., stressed, traveling, and commingling with others regularly). • Volume 19 no 2 • June 2017 • 17