Abstract
Exotic diseases pose a significant risk to horse health and welfare. Several stakeholder groups, including primary care veterinarians, share responsibility for maintaining freedom from pathogens that cause exotic diseases. However, little is known about the current state of exotic disease preparedness within the British horse industry. The aim of this study was to explore equine veterinarians' experiences of, and attitudes towards, exotic disease preparedness in Great Britain. This is a qualitative interview-based study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 primary care equine veterinarians in Great Britain. Participants were purposively selected to include perspectives across varying levels of experience, clientele and location. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were developed: (a) the reactive generalist, relating to participants' self-concept of their role as primary care practitioners; (b) working within the bounds of influence, encompassing participants' perceived inability to influence their clients' knowledge and behaviours and (c) a fragmented horse industry, illustrating the wider culture in which participants worked, characterised by a lack of cohesion amongst its members. Only veterinarians' perspectives have been captured, so viewpoints from other stakeholders, such as horse owners and government officials, should be used to triangulate these findings. The findings suggest that improvements are required before an optimal level of exotic disease preparedness can be achieved. Additional support provided to frontline veterinarians, such as skills-based training (ie, clinical reasoning and collaborative relationship building), accessible and trusted emergency support networks and clear expectations and responsibilities during an outbreak are recommended to optimise exotic disease preparedness.
Highlights
Outbreaks of exotic diseases, defined in the United Kingdom as those not normally present in the country, occur infrequently but can cause significant health and economic consequences
During past significant exotic animal disease outbreaks, including foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom (2001) and equine influenza in Australia (2007), primary care veterinarians were critical in mobilising an effective outbreak response alongside government authorities.2-4 Given their training, expertise and established relationships with animal owners, primary care veterinarians are well placed to advise both their clients and other stakeholders in the event of a disease emergency.[5]
The British horse industry has experienced sporadic outbreaks of exotic diseases in the past several years, including equine infectious anaemia (EIA) in 2012 and equine viral arteritis (EVA) in 2019.6,7 In each instance, the investigation was prompted after primary care veterinarians performed diagnostic testing on horses that had been imported into the country or had gathered with international horses several years earlier.[6,7]
Summary
Outbreaks of exotic diseases, defined in the United Kingdom as those not normally present in the country, occur infrequently but can cause significant health and economic consequences. In preparation for an exotic disease outbreak, each constituent country in the United Kingdom produces a contingency plan that outlines stakeholders' roles and responsibilities for animal disease emergencies.[1] During past significant exotic animal disease outbreaks, including foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom (2001) and equine influenza in Australia (2007), primary care veterinarians were critical in mobilising an effective outbreak response alongside government authorities.2-4 Given their training, expertise and established relationships with animal owners, primary care veterinarians are well placed to advise both their clients and other stakeholders in the event of a disease emergency.[5]. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 primary care equine veterinarians in Great Britain. Additional support provided to frontline veterinarians, such as skills-based training (ie, clinical reasoning and collaborative relationship building), accessible and trusted emergency support networks and clear expectations and responsibilities during an outbreak are recommended to optimise exotic disease preparedness
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