The Horse Helpdesk, for and by veterinarians, was set up in 2014 by GD in collaboration with the former "Groep Geneeskunde Paard" (GGP), now "Clusterbestuur Paard van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Maatschappij voor Diergeneeskunde" (KNMvD), the then " Centraal Veterinair Instituut" (CVI), now "Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (fD). The Help Desk Horse aims to come to exchange of information between veterinarians about infectious diseases in the horse in order to gain insight in the current animal disease situation in the Netherlands.
In 2018, the Horse Help Desk was contacted by veterinarians for these diseases:
1. Rhinopneumonia (37,2%)
Equine Herpes viruses type 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), the cause of rhinopneumonia, are found worldwide. Usually an infection with this virus in the horse results in a cold, with possible symptoms of disease fever, cough, runny nose, loss of appetite and thick legs. Rhinopneumonia, however, has two others appearances: the abortion form and the neurological form. These have on horses and for their owners in general, clearly more impact and the consequential damage of these forms of expression can be considerable for companies to be. This also often results in a lot of work and questions for the vets involved.
In 2018, outbreaks of the neurological form of rhinopneumonia (Equine Herpesvirus) in particular Myeloencephalopathy: EHM) a lot of media attention. For example, in May, July, September and October EHM Outbreaks confirmed and reported to the SRP in the Wolvega, Oisterwijk, North-West Friesland and Oene region. Confirmed
EHM outbreaks are reported to the SRP by the vets of the Helpdesk and with the permission of the owner, who mentions these outbreaks on its website. The outbreak at a large equine clinic in Wolvega gave rise to many questions about this condition by veterinarians. That is why a course on this subject was organized in November 2018 (Rhinopneumonia: insights from practice) organized with the cooperation of Dr. Kees van Maanen and drs. Linda van den Wollenberg of GD, Marco de Bruijn of Wolvega Veterinary Clinic and Prof. Marianne Sloet of Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
An important practical development is the availability of a treatment protocol with a – meanwhile also affordable for the average horse owner - virostatic (valacyclovir). Although there are still few publications are available on the effectiveness of this drug, the first experiences are positive.
2. Strangles / Glanders (33%)
In 2018, strangles were also one of the most discussed topics for the Horse Helpdesk. The attention to strangles is clearly increasing and outbreaks are also regularly highlighted in the social media. Once in a while the diagnosis cannot be made immediately or symptoms are caused by another bacterium (Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus).
Carriers play a crucial role in the epidemiology of strangles and this realization is also becoming increasingly important with veterinarians, given the number of questions about detection and treatment of carriers and the increased diagnostics.
In addition to the detection and treatment of carriers, various forms of approach are possible, such as various management measures and in the preventive sphere vaccination or strangle-free certification. The proof-free certification concerns a voluntary subscription for horse companies to prevent possible infection with Streptococcus equi subs. Equi to determine and to detect and treat possible carriers. In 2002 the Dutch equine veterinarians started making guidelines. The definition was: “A Guide is a tool that the approved equine veterinarian supports systematic examination and treatment of a patient and the advising the owner. ”Meanwhile, a lot has changed in the recognition and certification system in the Netherlands, but the Guidelines have certainly proved their worth. Given the frequency with which droughts still occur in the Netherlands
3. Influenza (11,2%)
In December, after several years in which equine influenza was hardly or not detected in the Netherlands 2018 received various reports in which influenza was high in the differential diagnosis and subsequently also was confirmed. At the GD laboratory, 25 infections have since been confirmed. This is of course one underestimation of the actual situation, because not all samples are sent to the GD and outbreaks occurred are not sampled. From the beginning of the outbreaks are the relevant organizations and the Dutch veterinarians always by fD and GD in close cooperation through updates via newsletters and via the websites of kept the relevant organizations informed of developments.
Among the influenza outbreaks reported in recent months in Belgium, France, Germany, England and Ireland Clade 1 viruses have always been found in both vaccinated and unvaccinated horses (data from the International Collating Center (ICC) in Newmarket, England). Clade 1 have viruses also the major outbreaks in South Africa in 2003 and in Japan and Australia in 2007 and in South America in 2012 and 2018 causes. In recent years the research focus has been on Clade 2, but there are now more differences between them
the current Clade 1 field viruses and the vaccine viruses then between the prototype Clade 1 and Clade 2 viruses. It is still too early to draw conclusions from this. There are studies with specific antisera for this required. In addition, good epidemiological data is of great importance. Veterinarians involved in confirmed infections have been approached to collect more data, especially in vaccinated horses.
4. West Nile virus (9,8%)*
In September 2018, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute made in Germany, the official German reference laboratory for West Nile, known in the Brandenburg area for some zoo birds, a horse and a human (the veterinarian who had performed sections on the relevant zoo birds) West Nile Virus (WNV) was demonstrated.
This first indigenous human infection in Germany concerned a 31-year-old veterinarian who had performed autopsy on a Lapland owl (Strix nebulosa) that was found dead in a wildlife park near Poing, Ebersberg, Bavaria. This was the first time WNV was found in Germany and means that this condition may also occur The Netherlands could act. Given the already colder nights at that time, the WNV performance was in the air autumn of 2018 and the winter of 2018/2019 are no longer obvious.
An infection with the West Nile virus can go completely unnoticed in horses (and people). The infection is also possible which give flu-like symptoms: slowness, poor or not eating and a somewhat raised body temperature (38.6 - 39.4˚C). Nervous symptoms occur in about a third of the clinically infected horses: muscle vibrations, ataxia (walking like a drunk), paralysis, weird vague lameness and / or changes in behaviour. Quiet horses can become very difficult and difficult horses very quiet. In the most serious case, the horses no longer stand and die, or have to be euthanized. These symptoms partly resemble those of the neurological form of rhinopneumonia (EHV-1). Good vaccines are available for the horse West Nile Virus, but with a basic vaccination there is good protection only a few weeks after the second vaccination built up. Therefore, timely protection should start well before the vector season (May - November) be vaccinated.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the total number has in Europe reported native human WNV infections in 2018 (n = 2083) the total number of the previous seven years (n = 1832) more than exceeded. Compared to 2017 there was a seven-fold increase. Bulgaria, France and Italy the top three. The percentage of cases with neurological symptoms (WNND) was 68% similar to previous years. 285 WNV outbreaks occurred in horses in Europe during the 2018 vector season reported through the Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS), in particular in Italy, Hungary and Greece. This is an increase of 30% compared to 2017. There are several mosquito species present in the Netherlands that could transmit WNV (including Culex pipiens). Awareness among clinicians (especially neurologists) is important to avoid missing the diagnosis.
(* includes other infectious diseases)
Good health is a major part of animal welfare. However, there are more elements that influence a horses welbeing. These seem not to be directly related to health as such, but looks can be deceiving.
The living conditions of a horse are a bigger influence on the animal than is assumed. Optimized environment improves the quality of life and reduces stress.
Contact Monit.Horse for a chat about animal welfare and the tools to achieve better well-being.
