Did Hyderabad Race Club act in haste?
The Hyderabad Race Club perhaps acted in undue haste in issuing a notice banning movement of horses and personnel from Bangalore much before the veterinary commission of India met and took stock of the situation. The Hyderabad Race Club’s notice of Sunday is bound to cause panic in racing circles as the decision of the club has come without critical evaluation of the existing scenario. With the winter classics picking up momentum and a number of classics scheduled for the month of January, the decision of Hyderabad Race Club to ban movement of horses and personnel is seen as not being in conformation with the Standard Operative Procedures for monitoring and surveillance of equine diseases and mandatory health requirements for movement of thoroughbred horses in India.
The Hyderabad Race Club’s notice states that in view of occurrence of Pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin in horses at Bangalore, horses stationed at Bangalore will not be permitted to enter the premises of HRC until further orders.
The notice further states that ~A’ licensed jockeys are advised not to ride in races and track work at Bangalore till further notice. The trainers and their staff based at Bangalore are requested not to enter the premises of HRC till further orders. Outstation persons connected with horses should sign in the Register maintained at the Security office at the entrance. Saddlery and other riding equipment used at Bangalore will not be permitted to be brought into the premises of HRC till further notice. Further trainers are advised to follow all precautionary hygiene protocols.
A few horses which were scheduled to run during the weekend races on Friday and Saturday at Bangalore were withdrawn due to fever and this set off rumors of a wide scale epidemic like the one which affected the stables of RWITC at Pune two years ago which resulted in disruption of racing all over the country. The fever at Pune was diagnosed as equine influenza though official confirmation never came on this score. Bangalore has been experiencing unusually cold weather and during these cold months, fever is quite common. About 39 horses were reported to be having fever which was responding to treatment. Since the RWITC took its own time to notify the prevalence of wide spread fever in its stables and suffered the consequences there of, it is but natural for Hyderabad Race Club to trigger the panic button.
Dr Thimmappa, Deputy Chief Veterinary Office of Bangalore Turf Club said that there was no need to panic. ``There have been cases of about 39 horses showing symptoms of fever which is not uncommon. The horses are responding to treatment. Blood samples have been sent for further investigation. In fact, in the month of June, we had as many as 80 horses running temperature. The situation is well under control and there is no need to be alarmist about the situation.’’
In the meanwhile, the Bangalore Turf Club has convened a meeting of the Veterinary Commission of Turf Authorities of India in Bangalore on Monday at 2.30 p.m. at Bangalore Turf Club premises. The meeting among others is expected to be attended by Dr S M Karthikeyan, Chairman of Veterinary Commission, Turf Authorities of India, Dr M Rajashekar, Technical Director, Diagnostic Research Laboratories and other senior vets associated with various turf clubs in the country. Senior racing officials B K Amanulla Khan, Secretary General, Turf Authorities of India, B A Engineer, Secretary, RWITC, Robin Corner, General Manager, Racing RCTC and Dr B Sridhar, Secretary of Hyderabad Race Club are also expected to attend the meeting.
Dr M Rajashekar who is the Technical Director of Diagnostic Research Laboratories which is approved by the Government of India and located at RIWTC, Pune, made an inspection of the stables of Bangalore Turf Club on Sunday and presented the following report to be placed at the meeting on Monday. Dr Rajashekar has stated that on a request from the senior veterinary officer of BTC, he visited the stables of BTC. This is his update of the situation.
About six horses were reported with mild to moderate fever and refusal to eat Dhana (food) though they continued to eat grass on December 22. The conjunctiva was normal with no nasal discharge or cough. Six new cases were reported the next day and nine more were added on December 25 from 12 stables. No cases were reported till 5 p.m. on December 26. The animals were given routine palliative treatment and 30 ml of Oxytetracylcine for five days. The temperature subsided in less than 10 hours and there is no recurrence of temperature in the subsequent days. The conjunctiva and nasal discharge were normal; there was no cough with appetite improving. Blood count results were variable and in some cases, neutrophillia was noticed with decline in lymphocytes and in others, the blood values were within the range. Blood samples are sent for culture for bacteria and other lab tests are being planned with the assistance of the Technical Director of Diagnostic Research Lab of RWITC.
Majority of the horses are now eating well and are working on the track. The fever episodes appear to be on the decline and few occasional cases may be expected in the new few days. No specific diagnosis of these very transient fever cases can be pronounced at this stage and laboratory reports are expected in the next few days, he states.
The Chief Stipendiary Steward has also issued a detailed advisory for improving the general standards of hygiene in the stable and course area.
The following horses were reported to with temperature in the last one week: Astonishing, Spearhead, Rebel Star, Little Boy blue, Bebo, Ace Blood, Logans Run, Lady Gaga, Sound Bet, Tuthumosis, 2yo old out of Key To Luck, 2yo out of Sugar Zone, 2yo out of Frequence, 2yo out of Irish Bride, 2yo out of Lamplight, 2yo old out of Eminent, 2yo out of That’s The Touch, Samajdaar, Yawar, Grey Matter, Camorra, Sun Kingdom, Star Presence, Muqtadar, Red Bishop, Adonis, Migrolino, Diamond Flame, Alaric, Crown Vision, Stud Muffin, Javanica, Caspian Sea, Windsor Park, Ridgeway, Everglade, 2yo out of Maltese Falcon, Spark of Zorro and Chronicle.
All the above mentioned horses had fever in the range of 102.4 to 104.6. Majority of horses had low grade fever as could be verified from the chart maintained at the veterinary hospital of the turf club.
The Hyderabad Race Club’s notice states that in view of occurrence of Pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin in horses at Bangalore, horses stationed at Bangalore will not be permitted to enter the premises of HRC until further orders.
The notice further states that ~A’ licensed jockeys are advised not to ride in races and track work at Bangalore till further notice. The trainers and their staff based at Bangalore are requested not to enter the premises of HRC till further orders. Outstation persons connected with horses should sign in the Register maintained at the Security office at the entrance. Saddlery and other riding equipment used at Bangalore will not be permitted to be brought into the premises of HRC till further notice. Further trainers are advised to follow all precautionary hygiene protocols.
A few horses which were scheduled to run during the weekend races on Friday and Saturday at Bangalore were withdrawn due to fever and this set off rumors of a wide scale epidemic like the one which affected the stables of RWITC at Pune two years ago which resulted in disruption of racing all over the country. The fever at Pune was diagnosed as equine influenza though official confirmation never came on this score. Bangalore has been experiencing unusually cold weather and during these cold months, fever is quite common. About 39 horses were reported to be having fever which was responding to treatment. Since the RWITC took its own time to notify the prevalence of wide spread fever in its stables and suffered the consequences there of, it is but natural for Hyderabad Race Club to trigger the panic button.
Dr Thimmappa, Deputy Chief Veterinary Office of Bangalore Turf Club said that there was no need to panic. ``There have been cases of about 39 horses showing symptoms of fever which is not uncommon. The horses are responding to treatment. Blood samples have been sent for further investigation. In fact, in the month of June, we had as many as 80 horses running temperature. The situation is well under control and there is no need to be alarmist about the situation.’’
In the meanwhile, the Bangalore Turf Club has convened a meeting of the Veterinary Commission of Turf Authorities of India in Bangalore on Monday at 2.30 p.m. at Bangalore Turf Club premises. The meeting among others is expected to be attended by Dr S M Karthikeyan, Chairman of Veterinary Commission, Turf Authorities of India, Dr M Rajashekar, Technical Director, Diagnostic Research Laboratories and other senior vets associated with various turf clubs in the country. Senior racing officials B K Amanulla Khan, Secretary General, Turf Authorities of India, B A Engineer, Secretary, RWITC, Robin Corner, General Manager, Racing RCTC and Dr B Sridhar, Secretary of Hyderabad Race Club are also expected to attend the meeting.
Dr M Rajashekar who is the Technical Director of Diagnostic Research Laboratories which is approved by the Government of India and located at RIWTC, Pune, made an inspection of the stables of Bangalore Turf Club on Sunday and presented the following report to be placed at the meeting on Monday. Dr Rajashekar has stated that on a request from the senior veterinary officer of BTC, he visited the stables of BTC. This is his update of the situation.
About six horses were reported with mild to moderate fever and refusal to eat Dhana (food) though they continued to eat grass on December 22. The conjunctiva was normal with no nasal discharge or cough. Six new cases were reported the next day and nine more were added on December 25 from 12 stables. No cases were reported till 5 p.m. on December 26. The animals were given routine palliative treatment and 30 ml of Oxytetracylcine for five days. The temperature subsided in less than 10 hours and there is no recurrence of temperature in the subsequent days. The conjunctiva and nasal discharge were normal; there was no cough with appetite improving. Blood count results were variable and in some cases, neutrophillia was noticed with decline in lymphocytes and in others, the blood values were within the range. Blood samples are sent for culture for bacteria and other lab tests are being planned with the assistance of the Technical Director of Diagnostic Research Lab of RWITC.
Majority of the horses are now eating well and are working on the track. The fever episodes appear to be on the decline and few occasional cases may be expected in the new few days. No specific diagnosis of these very transient fever cases can be pronounced at this stage and laboratory reports are expected in the next few days, he states.
The Chief Stipendiary Steward has also issued a detailed advisory for improving the general standards of hygiene in the stable and course area.
The following horses were reported to with temperature in the last one week: Astonishing, Spearhead, Rebel Star, Little Boy blue, Bebo, Ace Blood, Logans Run, Lady Gaga, Sound Bet, Tuthumosis, 2yo old out of Key To Luck, 2yo out of Sugar Zone, 2yo out of Frequence, 2yo out of Irish Bride, 2yo out of Lamplight, 2yo old out of Eminent, 2yo out of That’s The Touch, Samajdaar, Yawar, Grey Matter, Camorra, Sun Kingdom, Star Presence, Muqtadar, Red Bishop, Adonis, Migrolino, Diamond Flame, Alaric, Crown Vision, Stud Muffin, Javanica, Caspian Sea, Windsor Park, Ridgeway, Everglade, 2yo out of Maltese Falcon, Spark of Zorro and Chronicle.
All the above mentioned horses had fever in the range of 102.4 to 104.6. Majority of horses had low grade fever as could be verified from the chart maintained at the veterinary hospital of the turf club.
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