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Racing authority amends rules on influenza vaccine
All horses that enter the racecourse must have been vaccinated against equine influenza by a veterinary surgeon.
New rule also added on extracorporeal shockwave therapy

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is alerting horse owners, trainers and veterinary surgeons of two important changes to its rules of racing.

Rule (E) 18 has been amended so that horses will not be permitted to run in the event of a failure to comply with any of the requirements for vaccinations against equine influenza.  

Under the BHA’s rules of racing, all horses that enter the racecourse must have been vaccinated against equine influenza by a veterinary surgeon, to control infectious disease and protect equine welfare.

Currently, in the event of non-compliance, the horse may not be permitted to run unless it has, in the opinion of the veterinary officer, received at least a vaccination against equine influenza. The BHA says this effectively permits horses to run when they have not been vaccinated correctly, which could present a risk to other horses at the site.

The rule is now worded:
'18.7 In the event of failure to comply with any of the requirements of this Rule in respect of a horse which is on Racecourse Property
'18.7.1., unless the Stewards have given their permission the horse will not be permitted to run in any race; and
'18.7.2 the Trainer or the Owner of the horse are liable to Disciplinary Action'.

In addition, the BHA has introduced a new rule that will require horses to be stood down from racing for five days after extra-corporeal shockwave therapy.

ESWT is used in equine orthopaedics to treat a number of conditions, and involves directing shock waves onto the injured area.

The new rule is worded: '11.C The horse must not have been administered extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on the day of the race or on any of the five days before the day of the race in which the horse is declared to run.'

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.