What Type Of Flu Can Horses Catch?

Equine influenza is one of the most common illnesses seen by horse veterinarians in the United States. It is an airborne disease that is spread mainly through horses coughing. An infected horse can spread the germs to horses that are up to 160 feet away.

How long does equine flu last?

There is no specific treatment for equine influenza, with many horses needing mostly supportive and nursing care. Sometimes there is a secondary bacterial infection which can need further treatment. Your horse will need a minimum of six weeks rest to recover and your vet will advise you on this.

How do you treat a horse with the flu?

There is no direct treatment for flu, much like people with flu, the best treatment we can provide is supportive care and plenty of rest. The dust levels in the horse’s environment should be kept as low as possible, so the respiratory system is not further affected.

Can horses get influenza virus?

What is Equine influenza? Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious though rarely fatal respiratory disease of horses, donkeys and mules and other equidae. The disease has been recorded throughout history, and when horses were the main draft animals, outbreaks of EI crippled the economy.

How do you tell if a horse has the flu?

Equine influenza affects the upper respiratory systems of horses, causing symptoms that are similar to humans experiencing influenza:

1. Deep, dry cough.
2. Nasal discharge.
3. Lethargy.
4. Enlarged lymph nodes.
5. Lack of appetite.

What does equine influenza look like?

Sick horses can exhibit fever, nasal discharge, cough, lethargy, loss of appetite and weakness. A cough is one of the most notable signs of equine flu. The virus causes destruction of cells in the throat and lungs, which take 3 weeks to regenerate.

How do you test for equine influenza?

Diagnoses: Equine Influenza is diagnosed by virus isolation from nasal swabs, through PCR testing by nasal swab and using an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).

What is the most common virus in horses?

Equine influenza is one of the most common infectious diseases of the respiratory tract in horses. This is a highly contagious virus that can be contracted through direct contact with an infected horse or indirectly via a contaminated environment.

Can avian flu spread to horses?

Influenza A viruses are endemic (can infect and regularly transmit) in 6 animal species or groups (wild waterfowl, domestic poultry, swine, horses, dogs, and bats) in addition to humans.

How long does it take for a horse to recover from a virus?

The general rule is to allow at least three weeks of rest, or a minimum of one week of rest for each day that the horse had a fever. Even light riding too soon increases the risk that a horse will become sick again. After your horse recovers, clean up his environment and tools you used to care for him.

Is equine influenza fatal?

Horses usually recover in 2 weeks with rest, but clinical signs, especially cough, can persist. EIV can result in a secondary bacterial bronchopneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly in young horses (6).

Is equine influenza the same as strangles?

The most common causes in the horse include equine influenza virus (EIV), equine herpesvirus (EHV) – also known as rhino – and Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi) – better known as strangles.

What does equine influenza do to horses?

Clinical signs of equine flu in horses are variable, but include the following: a high temperature of 39-41°C (103-106°F) lasting for 1-3 days. a frequent harsh, dry cough that can last for several weeks. a clear, watery nasal discharge that may become thicker and yellow or green after 4-5 days.

Can humans get EEE from horses?

EEE is only spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. EEE is not spread person-to-person, people to animals, or animals to people.

What causes influenza in horses?

Equine influenza, caused by the orthomyxovirus equine influenza A type 2 H3N8 subtype, is one of the most common infectious diseases of the respiratory tract of horses.

Can equine influenza spread to dogs?

Because all genes of the canine isolate were of equine influenza virus origin, we concluded that the entire genome of an equine influenza virus had been transmitted to the dog.