“Prevention of contagious diseases is dependent on an effective vaccination program and a carefully developed and strictly enforced management program,” said Steve Conboy, DVM, a Central Kentucky equine practitioner, at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Seattle, Wash.

“Because of training in infectious diseases, bacteriology, virology, and  asepsis, the veterinarian is in a unique position to develop and to help facilitate a disease prevention program,” he added, before outlining recommendations he makes to help keep infectious diseases off his clients’ farms. “The basic principles are about the same for any type of horse operation; they must be realistic, and it’s very important that everyone is involved–from the owner to the groom, all should be well aware of the principles of the program.”

The basic principles of disease prevention include maintaining a carefully designed vaccination program, implementing a pre-arrival policy and a post-arrival program for visiting animals, isolating horses that return to the premises after attending an event or sale, isolating ill and “shedder” animals, and avoiding over-population and stress. “The solution to pollution is dilution,” Conboy said. “Don’t overcrowd your populations, and avoid contact between different age groups, i.e., weanlings or yearlings and older horses, especially pregnant mares.”

In the face of an outbreak, practice preventive hygiene. Because of the broad range of vaccine efficacy for different diseases, and the fact there are some diseases for which there are no vaccines, management is an extremely important part of the program