vet washing hands for vetting each equine

Question
hello ma'am, should an equine veterinarian wash his hands thoroughly with soap always while vetting each equine? can he/she buy 10 pairs of medical gloves and throw them for washing after vetting each equine in order to prevent spreading of virus from one equine to other?

Answer
Hello Rohit,

Thank you for your question.  It is always good practice for a veterinarian to disinfect themselves and their equipment between examinations.  The truth is though, that this occurs more between farms than between horses themselves.  Often, if there is a contagious disease on a farm there is just as much risk of neighboring horses contracting it from equipment or stable workers as there is danger of horses contracting disease from the veterinarian.  But for biosecurity reasons, it is essential that vets disinfect footwear and equipment between farms, and if necessary change their coveralls.  This will prevent the spread of disease from farm to farm.

Thanks, Corlena