Equine veterinary regulations tightened
Sanctions will be introduced for treating horses outside of designated treatment boxes and failing to report fatal illnesses or injuries in the correct time slot.
As of January 1, 2015, vets may be sanctioned for treating horses outside of the designated treatment box during competitions.
Sanctions will also be introduced for failing to report a fatal illness or injury within the correct time slot, failing to produce a horse passport at an FEI event and for microchips that do not match information held on the official database.
The new sanctions are among changes announced in the FEI Veterinary Regulations 2015.
Under the new regulations, any fatal illnesses or injuries sustained during, after or as a result of an FEI event, must be reported to the national federation within 72 hours of the death. The national federation must then inform the FEI Veterinary Department within 72 hours.
The veterinary delegate must also supply a list of all substances administered during the event and directly before death or euthanasia, including substances that were part of the process of euthanasia. This list must be submitted with the Veterinary Report of the Death within 72 hours.
FEI also clarified its policy on supplements and vitamins, which are administered at the person responsible's own risk. It is recommended that a log book be kept, containing details of the product used, dose and batch number, as well as the date on which it was administered.
In addition, a new form has been introduced for recording microchip irregularities and increased funding has been made available for post-mortem examinations. This can also be used to cover the cost of transport.
For further information, view the 2015 regulations online.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
