Pfizer Helps Vets To Spread The Word About EHV

Pfizer Animal Health has launched an awareness campaign to help vets encourage horse owners, yard managers, trainers and breeders to keep their horses protected from the effects of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV). The campaign includes the provision of information leaflets and the coordination of talks to help people, who manage horses, understand the severity of EHV and the best ways to prevent the disease. The prevalence of EHV can be as high as 87.5% in the UK and latent infections in horses are frequently re-activated.1,2 The consequences can be serious, with abortion outbreaks proving to be a significant economic burden to owners, trainers and breeders.3,4 However, subclinical infections, although usually regarded as less serious, can remain unrecognised and can cause suboptimal performance in horses under your care. Sporadic, mild respiratory disease caused by EHV can lead to interrupted training and movement restrictions4. Even after clinical recovery from EHV-1 or upper respiratory tract infections caused by EHV-4, some horse may develop ‘poor performance syndrome’5. These can all have serious financial repercussions on the equine industry. Ben Gaskell, Pfizer’s equine veterinary advisor said: “Not protecting horses against EHV can have serious practical and financial consequences. Our campaign is intended to help vets advise their clients of the dangers, the yard management protocols that can help prevent the spread of disease and the vaccination programmes available.” For further information on Pfizer’s EHV campaign, to obtain literature for your practice or to book a talk for your clients please contact your Pfizer Account Manager or Pfizer Animal Health, Walton Oaks, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7NS. 1. Eddington et al. Equine Vet. J. 1994; 26 (2): 140-142. 2. Allen GP. 2002. Respiratory Infections by Equine Herpesvirus Types 1 and 4. In: P. Lekeux ed. 2002. Equine Respiratory Diseases. New York: International Veterinary Information Service. 3. Garré B et al. Vet Microbiol. 2007; 122(1-2): 43-51. 4. Lunn DP et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2009; 23(3): 450-61. 5. Slater, J. 2007. Equine Herpesvirus. In: Sellon, D. and Long, M. Equine Infectious Diseases. St Louis: Saunders. 144.

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