HORIBA UK is offering a free to attend strangles prevention and testing focused webinar.
For the next in its series of CPD veterinary webinars, HORIBA has invited equine RCVS specialist professor Mark Bowen, FRCVS, to share his expertise on “Vaccination, serology and GP lavage – how to combine tools to keep strangles at bay”.
The webinar is to be held on Thursday 1 June 2023 at 7:30pm to 9pm (BST).
More information and registration for the strangles CPD webinar is available for vets, nursing staff, ancillary teams and students on the HORIBA website.
Due to the highly infectious nature of this life-threatening bacterial respiratory tract infection, pre-movement testing for strangles’ causative bacteria (Streptococcus equi) is widely recommended within livery yards, requiring serology before horses arrive.
However, this does not necessarily prevent strangles outbreaks associated with new arrivals, nor are these results as clear-cut as owners would like.
For example, guttural pouch lavage has much greater sensitivity for identifying carriers, but can also cause confusion when pathology is examined and Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus is identified.
During the webinar professor Mark Bowen, BVetMed, MMedSci(MedEd), PhD, CertVA, CertEM(IntMed), DipACVIM-LAIM, DipECEIM, PFHEA, FRCVS, will review how to use laboratory testing and vaccination in the development of disease free status in different yards.
He will consider quarantine, testing and the new vaccine.
Mark is an RCVS specialist in equine internal medicine with expertise and numerous publications in equine cardiology, diagnostic imaging and gastric disease.
He qualified from RVC in 1996 and was awarded Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016.
He holds a Masters in medical education and is a principal fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with a sustained track record in clinical veterinary medicine and clinically informed research.
Advising on various equine veterinary committees, Mark was former British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) president with a strong interest in veterinary politics relating to the future of the profession and responsible medicines use.
“We are delighted that Mark will be joining us to share his specialist knowledge and experience on the prevention and testing for this highly contagious, but often asymptomatic disease that can cause huge disruption and economic losses to the equine world,” said Lisa Martin, HORIBA Veterinary UK.
“Strangles does not discriminate and outbreaks may happen in any yard, from the smallest to the most high profile.
“Risk cannot be eliminated, but rapid diagnostics can play a key part in improving strangles management, not only by enabling faster treatment, but also supporting correct isolation and biosecurity measures.”
Also to be discussed in the webinar, HORIBA will highlight how PCR can now easily be used for rapid in-house testing for strangles to support its effective management.
The POCKIT Central benchtop veterinary PCR analyser from HORIBA can deliver results for S.equi from wash or swab samples in under two hours at any time of day, without need for courier collection and external testing.
This simple to use, fully automated analyser requires no additional specialist equipment and offers over 190 further tests, including: EHV 1, 3 and 4; Influenza H3N8; Leptospira; Rotavirus; Salmonella spp; CEM; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
For free registration and more information on HORIBA UK’s latest online CPD veterinary meeting on “Vaccination, serology and GP lavage – how to combine tools to keep strangles at bay”, visit their website.
