An equine vet practice based in the southwest is offering a special discount offer for horse owners who have let their equine influenza (EI) protection lapse.
B&W Equine Group — which operates from sites across Gloucester, Wiltshire and South Wales — is offering a two-course vaccination programme throughout September for horses over 12 months of age, that have not received a booster in the last 12 months.
The offer, which is available until the end of September, is designed to encourage more horse owners to protect their animals against EI.
Richard Hepburn, director of the group, said: “Vaccination is compulsory for competition horses, however no such enforcement exists for leisure animals and it is estimated that around 60 per cent of horses and ponies are unprotected against EI.”
“EI is highly contagious and can be spread via inanimate objects such as clothing, head collars and horseboxes. Competition and leisure horses are often kept in close proximity and leisure horses left unprotected do pose a risk,” Mr Hepburn warned.
“While we are fortunate that the risk of a major outbreak in the UK is quite low, we do see cases of EI in most months.”
For more information tel: 01666 880501 or visit: www.bushyequinevets.co.uk
