Equine flu - why don't owners vaccinate their horses?

A research project led by a student at The University of Nottingham is aiming to uncover why some horse owners choose not to vaccinate their animals against a potentially-fatal illness. Equine flu - or horse flu - is endemic in the UK which means that at some point in their lifetime most horses will come into with the virus, which can leave the animals open to more severe secondary infections leading to pneumonia or even death. Around 85 per cent of all horses in the UK need to be vaccinated to protect the national herd stock. However, evidence from recent outbreaks suggest that some owners are failing to adequately protect their pets. Will Bambra, an undergraduate student in the University's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, is leading a research project as part of his degree course which is aimed at improving our understanding of why some owners decide against vaccination. He is asking owners to anonymously complete a short online survey featuring a number of questions exploring the factors that would have a bearing on their decision to vaccinate their animals as well as assessing their understanding of the impact of equine flu. Will said: "In the UK, equine flu is quite a severe disease and when outbreaks do occur they can have a serious impact on horse communities.