In What Age Group Of Horse Is Equine Influenza Infection More Common?

Published by Clayton Newton on

Equine influenza is highly contagious and spreads rapidly among susceptible horses. Horses 1-5 years old are the most susceptible to infection.

How common is equine influenza?

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.

What causes equine influenza in horses?

It is caused by two subtypes of the influenza A virus, which are related to, but distinct from, influenza viruses in other species. Equine influenza virus spreads easily through contact with infected horses and via contact with infected clothing, equipment, brushes, tack, etc.

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 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 prevent equine influenza in horses?

Prevention of influenza requires hygienic management practices and vaccination. Exposure can be reduced by isolation of newly introduced horses for 2 wk. Numerous vaccines are commercially available for prevention of equine influenza.

How often should a horse be vaccinated for equine influenza?

To provide effective immunity against respiratory and neurological disease caused by EHV 1 and EHV- 4 a primary course of 2 vaccinations should be given followed by a booster vaccination every 6 months. 1st vaccination: Can be given to any horse over the age of 5 months.

What bacteria causes CEM in horses?

Contagious equine metritis (CEM) is a highly contagious venereal infection of equids caused by Taylorella equigenitalis, a bacterium with fastidious growth requirements.

How is CEM transmitted in horses?

How is CEM spread? Infection spreads through direct transmission of bacteria from mare to stallion or teaser or from stallion or teaser to mare at the time of mating or teasing. It is also transmitted to mares if semen used in artificial insemination (AI) comes from infected stallions.

How do you manage equine influenza?

Treatment and Management
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.

What diseases are quarter horses prone to?

  • Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency (GBED)
  • Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia (HERDA)
  • Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP)
  • Myosin-Heavy Chain Myopathy (MYHM)
  • Malignant Hyperthermia (MH)
  • Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM1)

Where is equine infectious anemia most common?

Historically, EIA cases were primarily found in untested or under-tested equine populations with natural vector-borne transmission as the cause of disease spread. More recently, an additional high-risk population has been identified as infected with EIA, namely the racing Quarter Horse population.

What is the number one killer of horses?

The number one killer of horses is colic. Colic is not a disease, but rather a combination of signs that alert us to abdominal pain in the horse. Colic can range from mild to severe, but it should never be ignored.

When was the last equine flu outbreak?

A large-scale outbreak of equine influenza (EI) virus in Australia in 2007 resulted in major disruption to horse activities and related industries across the nation and particularly in the two infected states (Queensland and New South Wales).

What type of disease is equine influenza?

Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a common, highly contagious equid respiratory disease. Historically, EIV outbreaks have caused high levels of equine illness and economic damage. Outbreaks have occurred worldwide in the past decade.

Does my horse need influenza vaccine?

All horses are exposed to these potentially fatal diseases and need to be vaccinated annually according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Risk-based Diseases: Equine influenza virus and herpesvirus are the most common risk-based diseases that your horse may need to be vaccinated against.

How do you prevent EIA in horses?

To reduce your horse’s chance of becoming infected with EIA:

  1. Reduce exposure to biting flies through proactive management and insect control.
  2. Never reuse needles or syringes; only use sterile needles and licensed blood products.
  3. Use a sterile needle each time you puncture a multi-dose medication bottle.

Why can’t horses vomit Aaep?

Horses can’t vomit because they possess a valve at the entrance of the stomach called cardias or ” Swiss tie “, the muscles of this valve are so strong that they prevent food from returning to the mouth.

What is the vaccine for equine influenza?

The FLUVAC INNOVATOR line of vaccines helps keep your horse healthy and provides him with broad protection against newly emerging and conventional equine influenza virus (EIV) strains as well as equine herpesvirus (EHV-1 and EHV-4).

What vaccines do horses need every 6 months?

A “5-way” (EEE/WEE, Tetanus, Influenza, and Rhino) vaccine is administered to 4-H, exhibition, and breeding or boarding barn horses. Depending on the risk, these vaccines may be repeated in 6-month intervals.

What age do you vaccinate horses?

Broodmares should be vaccinated 4–6 weeks before foaling. Foals from vaccinated mares should be vaccinated at 6 and 7 months old and again at 12 months. Foals from unvaccinated mares should be vaccinated at 3, 4, and 12 months. All adult horses should be vaccinated annually.

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