HENDRA UPDATE : URGENT AND IMPORTANT - HENDRA UPDATE We have two Hendra cases to alert members to; one on the Queensland Gold Coast and the other at Macksville on the NSW Mid-North Coast. The Gold Coast case was diagnosed by a private veterinarian who first attended the horse last Thursday evening. The horse was standing, lethargic and had a mild serous discharge from both nostrils. Contrary to some reports, EVA is directly informed that the horse was NOT recumbent, was NOT non-responsive and was NOT convulsing intermittently. This should alert practitioners and ESPECIALLY the general horse public to the fact that virtually any non-vaccinated sick horse can have HeV, and should be treated and managed accordingly. The horse was revisited 18 hours later and had collapsed, was convulsing and was non-responsive. The decision to euthanase was made immediately. The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has confirmed that Hendra virus as the cause of death of one horse on a second Macksville property, after an unconnected case was reported in Macksville last month. NSW Chief Veterinary Officer Ian Roth said the property has been quarantined and the DPI, Livestock Health and Pest Authority (LHPA) and NSW Health are working closely with the property owners. “Samples from the six year old gelding were sent to DPI’s Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute and results confirmed last night,” Mr Roth said. “Two other horses from the property, three dogs and two cats will be closely monitored by NSW biosecurity experts.” An LHPA veterinarian is taking samples of the remaining horses and the companion animals on the property. The remaining horses will be vaccinated against Hendra.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 09:06:14 +0000
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