Preventive Medicine Strategies - What Are the Problems and What Are the Solutions?

Working equids play a significant role for many communities around the world who rely on them for daily income generation. They have a direct effect on the lives of rural owners by reducing the transport burden of water, goods and fuel wood, whilst in the urban environment their role may be in income generation for the transportation of materials and people. There is a clear division of labour between the species; donkeys are mainly used as pack animals, although a minority are used to pull carts; horses are predominately used as harness animals and for riding. Working horses, donkeys and mules suffer from prevalent parasitic and infectious diseases, and diseases associated with poor management practices. This presentation highlights a number of disease and health problems affecting working equids, their aetiologies, potential solutions and the issues arising around those solutions. All of the problems discussed in this presentation are frequently presented to SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) veterinary clinics. Four key problem areas are highlighted, including some of the most prevalent and commonly presented diseases. SPANA utilises a number of approaches to address these problems, examples of which will be presented.