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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Force's horses all on sick leave | Force's horses all on sick leave |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Every horse serving with Northumbria Police was signed off on sick leave for more than a month due to an outbreak of ringworm. | |
| A force vet said it was a highly contagious disease but the horses had responded well to antifungal treatment. | |
| Mounted police officers from West Yorkshire were brought in to patrol the Wear-Tyne football derby in Sunderland on Saturday. | Mounted police officers from West Yorkshire were brought in to patrol the Wear-Tyne football derby in Sunderland on Saturday. |
| A police spokesman said on Thursday all 10 horses were back on the beat. | A police spokesman said on Thursday all 10 horses were back on the beat. |
| Ringworm does not make horses physically unwell, but it causes spots which leave bare patches on the animal's coat. | Ringworm does not make horses physically unwell, but it causes spots which leave bare patches on the animal's coat. |
| 'Sneak in' | 'Sneak in' |
| Lesley Barwise-Munroe, from A1 Northumbria Veterinary Group in Alnwick, who treats the police horses, said: "In the history of Northumbria Police they can not remember this happening. | Lesley Barwise-Munroe, from A1 Northumbria Veterinary Group in Alnwick, who treats the police horses, said: "In the history of Northumbria Police they can not remember this happening. |
| "It is very unfortunate. A new horse came into the yard and even though it was isolated and you take precautions, it can sneak into the group and cause a downturn. | "It is very unfortunate. A new horse came into the yard and even though it was isolated and you take precautions, it can sneak into the group and cause a downturn. |
| "The trouble is it spreads round the horses and you have to break the whole loop so it doesn't move from horse to horse." | "The trouble is it spreads round the horses and you have to break the whole loop so it doesn't move from horse to horse." |
| She said they used antifungal wash which killed the spores, cleared the lesions and stopped the contamination. | She said they used antifungal wash which killed the spores, cleared the lesions and stopped the contamination. |
| Ch Supt Neil Mackay, of Northumbria Police, said the outbreak had no impact on operational policing in Northumbria, other than the football match. | Ch Supt Neil Mackay, of Northumbria Police, said the outbreak had no impact on operational policing in Northumbria, other than the football match. |
| "They have now finished their course of anti-bacterial treatment and are believed to be clear of the infection, so are working on full operational duties." | "They have now finished their course of anti-bacterial treatment and are believed to be clear of the infection, so are working on full operational duties." |