Six horses suffering from Glanders euthanized in Surat

Surat : About six horses in Surat have been euthanized after being diagnosed with Glanders, a potentially fatal infectious bacterial disease mainly affecting horses that can also infect humans.

A team of veterinary doctors from animal husbandry department carried out the exercise as per the Glanders and Farcy Act, 1899 in presence of the horse owners in Surat’s Lal Darwaja area.

The infected horses were buried in the ground on the outskirts of the city. According to the veterinary doctors, the department has collected blood samples of all the 250 registered horses across the city and they will be sent to the laboratory in Haryana.

The animal husbandry department has issued a strict order to the  horse owners, especially those who provide ‘baggies’ in the wedding ceremonies to stay away from the act or they will have to face stringent legal action.

Officials said the horses were diagnosed with Glanders disease during a routine checkup. “…the situation is worrisome since there is no cure to the disease, and above all, it is a zoonotic [infectious] disease. Though there are some antibiotics available to treat the disease…. Hence, elimination was carried out as per the Glanders and Farcy Act, 1899,” said Dr.Mayur Bhimani, deputy animal husbandry director.

Meanwhile, many horses from Surat city and district participated in the Horse Mela organised in Surat district’s Mandvi taluka on Sunday. A total of 310 horses participated in the House Mela from five states including Gujarat.

Surat Horse Riding Society (SHRS) members met the deputy animal husbandry director Dr Mayur Bhimani and consented for the blood tests of the horses that participated in the Horse Mela.