TheHorse.com presented a FREE hourlong Webinar with a live question and answer session, sponsored by Intervet, on Understanding Equine Influenza on Feb. 28, 2008, at 8 p.m. EST. Register to watch this on-demand presentation.

Why Worry About Flu?

Equine influenza is the most common viral respiratory disease in horses. Flu gained worldwide attention in 2007 by shutting down the equine industry in parts of Australia and Japan. While Japan had suffered through minor outbreaks in the past, Australia had a naïve equine population, meaning the horses had never been exposed to influenza, nor were they vaccinated against the disease. The cost of the Australian outbreak is estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars.

Smaller influenza outbreaks occur in the United States each year because of the highly infectious nature of the virus