Races off, sick horses quarantined for next two weeks

PETALING JAYA: A respiratory illness which has afflicted scores of horses at the Penang, Selangor and Perak Turf Clubs will now see the animals quarantined for the next two weeks, at least.

Selangor Turf Club chief veterinary surgeon Dr Shri Kanth said that 33 out of over 500 horses were down with Equine Influenza.

“However, the issue is that the disease is contagious and it passes from animal to animal so quickly.

While the animals are all responding to antibiotics well, we are treating them as potential carriers and so all are quarantined,” he told The Star.

“With luck, it will be contained within two weeks.”He said that samples would be sent to Singapore and the United States to determine the origins of the disease.

Perak Turf Club general manager Soo Lai Kwok said that the disease was not life-threatening.

“It’s quite similar to the flu. However, it is quite contagious, so we don’t want horses from elsewhere to mingle with the sick horses because the disease will incubate and spread.”

About 10 horses out of 250 at the turf club are affected with the illness, which is not harmful to humans.

While the first batch of afflicted horses are already getting better, other horses are catching the sickness, which has symptoms such as lethargy, elevated temperature, coughing and nasal discharge.

A one-day race event in Penang slated for Aug 30 is now off, while a Sept 6 event in Ipoh is also likely to be cancelled.

In George Town, Ipoh-based trainer Stephen Cook was left fuming after 11 of the 23 horses in his stable came down with the illness.

“A new horse arrived here with the symptoms and it was later allowed to mix with the other older horses. The whole thing spread like a wildfire,” the Australian said.

Penang Turf Club general manager and secretary Leow Khin Ming said the movement of all horses has been suspended with immediate effect due to the outbreak.

“After considering the welfare of the horses, jockeys, trainers and syces, the committee decided to cancel Sunday’s races,” he added.

It is understood the horse-racing industry here was also struck with this epidemic some 40 years ago, disrupting the races then for about two months.

Horses with the disease remain infectious for up to seven to 10 days. No carrier state has been demonstrated.