Is there an economic benefit in consequent vaccination against equine influenza?

Equine Influenza economically represents the major respiratory disease in horses. As well in the individual horse as for the whole population costs can be substantial for the owner, even if fatalities do not occur Vaccination can be considered as highly efficient to protect horses from disease and severe suffering. To prevent or minimize damage the veterinarian has to be highly educated and informed, about equine influenza, as a prerequisite to instruct owners of horses about severe consequences of omitting vaccination. Especially in times of rapidly increasing costs for horse husbandry and fanning, the veterinarian has to convince the owner of economical benefits of vaccination, basing on profound knowledge of data. During the last years and due to vaccination weariness numbers of smaller outbreaks of equine influenza in Baden Wuerttemberg increased. In 2009 an outbreak of equine influenza occurred in a horse pension and data concerning efficacy of vaccination and duration of quarantine measures, as well as economic aspects of vaccination were collected methodically. As a result it can be stated that costs of vaccination, compared to treatment costs and annual maintenance costs for a horse, are negligible.