EI vaccine set aside for zebras and exotic horses at Dubbo

Doses of equine influenza vaccine have been set aside for the zebras, Przewalski horses and Persian onagers at Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo as part of the program to protect high value animals in NSW against equine influenza.

The NSW chief veterinary officer Bruce Christie today allocated a supply of equine influenza vaccination doses for the 34 equine animals at the zoo.

NSW Department of Primary Industries is establishing a Local Vaccination Centre in Dubbo and vaccine will be distributed to veterinarians at the zoo next week after they have been inducted and authorised to use it.

No other animals at the zoo, such as rhinoceros or elephants, will be vaccinated since they cannot contract the horse virus.

Mr Christie said the priority for the vaccine doses currently available in NSW is horses in buffer zones being established to contain the disease within known infected areas.

"The vaccine will NOT be made available to each and every horse owner in NSW," he said.

"It is important to note that this vaccine is not the silver bullet, the answer to all the problems thrown up by the EI outbreak.

"Vaccination will not stop a horse from becoming infected; it will reduce the clinical signs and reduce virus secretion, helping to stop spread.

"Biosecurity, hygiene and movement restrictions remain vitally important to our effort to contain this disease."

Media contact: (02) 6391 3455

NSW Equine Influenza hotline: 1800 675 888

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