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Summary: Background: Ticks can harm horses and transmit diseases, making them a growing concern for owners and veterinarians. Veterinarians play a crucial role in providing advice on tick prevention and control. Yet, no research has examined their perspectives on equine ticks and tick‐borne disease (TBD). Objectives: The objective was to assess equine veterinarians' experiences, knowledge and practices related to fundamental aspects of tick biology and identification, tick bite prevention and TBD in the United States. Study design: This project surveyed equine veterinarians in the United States about their knowledge of ticks and TBD affecting horses using nonprobability convenience sampling. The survey questions were grouped into six categories: respondent demographics, knowledge of ticks and TBDs, tick control option availability, tick and TBD frequency in horses and veterinary education and information availability. Methods: Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi‐square analysis and t‐tests. The sample was divided into Northeast and United States veterinarians, and a significance level of p < 0.05 was set. The study aimed to inform continuing education development for veterinarians by assessing their knowledge, practices and perceptions of ticks and TBDs. Results: The results indicate that while equine veterinarians know the importance of TBDs in equine health, knowledge on ticks and TBDs varies significantly. Main limitations: Limitations for the current study include potential response bias and a limited sample from many states. Conclusions: There is a need for increased tick control and prevention options and more animal‐specific resources for tick and TBD prevention. Veterinarians and horse owners require greater education and comprehensive information to prevent tick‐borne illnesses in horses. Collaborations between academia, industry and the human medicine community are suggested to build capacity for training veterinarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences is the property of University of Guilan & Association of Universities of the Caspian Region States and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A vaccination, when understood and applied correctly, is an effective medicinal intervention. The latter is just a part of a multifactorial management protocol for the prevention and control of infectious diseases. The vaccination against Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) has, since 1 January 2023, become a prerequisite for the participation of horses in competitions according to the rules of the German Equestrian Federation. This regulation was introduced as a result of the incidents especially those sequelae with symptoms of EHM at and around an international longterm event in Valencia in 2021, which reoccurred in 2023. National racing authorities for thoroughbreds and standardbreds also introduced mandatory vaccination against EHV-1 for starters in their races. This has been introduced partly due to the incidents mentioned or are a reaction to the implementation of compulsory vaccination in other countries due to singular incidents. How the different regulatory bodies within their sphere of responsibility arrived at the decision to proscribe vaccination against EHV-1 remains unclear due to a lack of transparency. Only the Fédération Equestre International (FEI: International Federation for Equestrian Sports) has had the opportunity to review the incidents. To date, the FEI has not yet introduced a compulsory vaccination programme. The (not new) fact that the cases of horses that fell sick, especially those with symptoms of EHM, in Valencia in 2021 and 2023 did not allow a distinction to be made between vaccinated and unvaccinated horses may also contribute to this. It remains unclear “why” and “why now” a cause outside Germany can be enough to react with an inadequate measure: the compulsory vaccination against EHV-1. Another fundamental question could be whether this event is suitable as an example of contemporary history to describe the political struggle to assert one’s own interests (against the “interests” of equine health) with recourse to science that acts arbitrarily. The following explanations are intended to provide a factual, technical presentation [1] of the considerations and the resulting obligations from which no vaccination obligation can arise as a result. In particular, neo-democratic references to the legality of the “majoritarian sovereignty of interpretation” are neglected here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Equine Veterinary Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Habronemosis, also known as habronemiasis or habronematidosis, is a parasitic disease of equids caused by the larval stages of Habronematidae nematodes (Habronema muscae, Habronema microstoma, and Draschia megastoma) that are transmitted by muscid flies. The presence of aberrant infective larvae in the cutaneous and conjunctival tissues of these hosts results in granulomatous, exudative, and ulcerated lesions, also known as “summer sores.” In this study, we present a retrospective analysis of habronemosis cases in horses from the municipality of Lages, located on the Santa Catarina Plateau, a region with high altitudes and a temperate climate that differs from regions of Brazil where such parasitosis usually occurs. The equids were examined from 2008 to 2020 at the Veterinary Hospital of Santa Catarina State University. Sixteen patients were diagnosed and treated using macrocyclic lactones and wound cleaning. Most cases were recorded in autumn in horses (10/16, 62.5%) over 15 years of age (11/16, 68.8%), and the lesions were more frequently located in the conjunctiva (11/16, 68.8%). In scientific dissemination media, this is the first report of habronemosis on the Santa Catarina Plateau, Brazil. This information will contribute to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin diseases in horses in this region.

Simple Summary: Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of bacterial origin caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is distributed worldwide and has a great impact on public health and the agricultural economy. In Latin America, leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease, despite being infectious, zoonotic, with an acute course, and eventually lethal. In the Brazilian state of Goiás, which is located in the tropical savanna (Cerrado), data on the seroprevalence of equine leptospirosis are scarce and restricted to a few municipalities. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in 294 equine herds in the state of Goiás, Brazil. The results shed light on the significant and widespread prevalence of Leptospira in both farms (72.9%) and horses (61.6%) in Goiás State. These results were indicative of a complex epidemiological landscape characterized by the predominance of serogroups such as Djasiman, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Australis. Therefore, our findings underscore the critical significance of implementing sanitation measures within the environment and conducting health education initiatives to effectively prevent and control equine leptospirosis within the state, with particular emphasis on the necessity of vaccination. Leptospirosis, caused by Leptospira, is a zoonotic disease that, in horses, is linked to abortions, uveitis, and sporadic occurrences of liver and kidney disease, often resulting in significant economic losses for farmers. Research on the prevalence of leptospirosis in horses in the central-west region of Brazil has been relatively scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in equine herds in the state of Goiás (Central Brazil). Blood samples were collected from 894 equids at 294 randomly selected farms divided into three different strata according to their herd characteristics. The microscopic agglutination test for the detection of anti-Leptospira agglutinins was carried out and the results showed that among the 294 sampled farms, 213 (72.9%; CI 95% 71.7–78.9) had one or more animals positive for leptospirosis, and of the 894 horses sampled, 513 (61.6%; CI 95% 54.3–69.0) were seropositive for leptospirosis. Djasiman, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Australis were the most prevalent serogroups. The results showed a high prevalence of seropositive animals and a widespread distribution of positive farms in the state of Goiás. Thus, environmental sanitation measures and health education to prevent and control equine leptospirosis in the state are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptospirosis, caused by Leptospira, is a zoonotic disease that, in horses, is linked to abortions, uveitis, and sporadic occurrences of liver and kidney disease, often resulting in significant economic losses for farmers. Research on the prevalence of leptospirosis in horses in the central-west region of Brazil has been relatively scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in equine herds in the state of Goiás (Central Brazil). Blood samples were collected from 894 equids at 294 randomly selected farms divided into three different strata according to their herd characteristics. The microscopic agglutination test for the detection of anti-Leptospira agglutinins was carried out and the results showed that among the 294 sampled farms, 213 (72.9%; CI 95% 71.7–78.9) had one or more animals positive for leptospirosis, and of the 894 horses sampled, 513 (61.6%; CI 95% 54.3–69.0) were seropositive for leptospirosis. Djasiman, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Australis were the most prevalent serogroups. The results showed a high prevalence of seropositive animals and a widespread distribution of positive farms in the state of Goiás. Thus, environmental sanitation measures and health education to prevent and control equine leptospirosis in the state are required.

Background: Effective clinical communication can aid veterinarians in building good client relationships, increase adherence to recommendations and, ultimately, improve patient health and welfare. However, available information on veterinary communication in the equine context is limited. The objective of this study was to describe the communication of veterinary students in the equine environment who had previous communication training. Additionally, we assessed the suitability of the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) for the analysis of audio‐video recordings of equine wellness consultations. Methods: Twenty‐seven equine wellness consultations performed by second‐year Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine students were recorded in rural Kentucky, United States of America. Recordings were submitted to a professional coder who applied the RIAS to the equine context by expanding or adjusting code definitions. Results: A substantial amount of utterances (i.e. segments of speech) were allocated to core communication skills including building rapport (30%), facilitation and client activation (24%) and education and counselling (23%). There was a large variation in utterances used among consultations of the same veterinary student and students; they did not appear anxious or nervous. Conclusions: Students made use of core communication skills, indicating that experiences from pre‐clinical training could be transferred to equine practice. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the RIAS could be considered for consecutive studies aiming to provide observational data on clinical communication in the equine context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disease outbreaks present a significant challenge to horse health and welfare and the economic stability of horse industries internationally. This is a particular concern in Ontario, Canada, where there have been frequent outbreaks of respiratory infectious diseases among horses. Despite these risks, there has been limited research on whether Ontario horse owners engage in biosecurity measures sufficient to mitigate risk of equine diseases, and whether current events such as the COVID-19 pandemic influence attitudes towards equine biosecurity practices., Objective: To explore Ontario horse owners' perceptions, attitudes and experiences relating to on-farm biosecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic., Study Design: Qualitative study using virtual semi-structured interviews., Methods: Participants (horse owners, frequent horse riders and part boarders) were recruited using social media snowball sampling where advertisements were shared by equine and veterinary organisations. Interviews were conducted virtually between June and September 2022 and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis., Results: Three key themes relating to biosecurity perceptions among the 14 participants were identified. Participants relied on minimal preventative measures (such as vaccines) where perceived risk of disease was low, but implemented additional measures including quarantine and handwashing when perceived risk of disease was high. Participants' choice of biosecurity practices often mirrored those recommended by the barn manager. Moreover, participants felt that responsibility for biosecurity was not shared equally across horse owners, with more emphasis placed on those engaging in high-risk situations for disease spread. Despite experiencing biosecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, horse owners were not consistently applying these practices to their horse care routines., Main Limitations: The perspectives reported here are from a small sample of horse owners and may not be generalisable to all populations., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that horse owners need improved access to and engagement with educational initiatives that emphasise the importance and purpose of all biosecurity measures., (© 2024 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)