Long Recovery For Horses Burned in Australian Bushfires
Dr. Ross Wallace. Image courtesy of AVA.
Australian Veterinary Association
Horses that suffered severe burns during the Yarloop bushfire in January have made full recoveries and have now been discharged and are back in the care of their owners.
Equine Veterinarians Australia member and director of Murray Veterinary Services, Dr. Ross Wallace, confirmed that his clinic provided continued care to five horses for more than eight weeks to successfully treat their injuries.
“The fire in the Yarloop and surrounding areas was on a scale that the region had never experienced. Our team went out to properties in the morning following the fires to assess the damage to horses. We treated them onsite or transferred them back to the clinic if further treatment was required.”
“We had 10 horses at the hospital and all were severely burned and in need of ongoing care. The level of care required for all 10 horses was just beyond our capabilities and fortunately Murdoch University was able to assist. Five horses were transferred to the University Hospital and the veterinarians there were able to provide the care that was needed,” Dr Wallace said.
Caring for the five horses that remained in Dr Wallace’s clinic initially involved 20 hours of work per day. He says that if it were not for the help of volunteers, it would not have been possible for his clinic to continue operating and treat the injured horses.
“These horses required intensive care and our clinic had to run as normal, so to say we were overstretched at the time would be an understatement. Thankfully, we had some wonderful volunteers who made it all possible,” he said.
Dr Wallace says that his clinic did not charge for the veterinary services or professional time to treat the burned horses. Fortunately, through donations of equipment and money, the five horses at his clinic and the five at Murdoch University were successfully treated and have now been discharged.
“We had overwhelming support from the community and vet industry from companies sourcing medications to people donating money. We established an online fundraising campaign and this truly demonstrated the power of social media. It was an incredible show of support.”
“Watching these horses make full recoveries and seeing them now back with their owners – it’s just the best outcome we could have hoped for,” he said.
