Many of us have experienced the anxiety that comes with knowing an infectious equine disease has been detected nearby – especially if that outbreak occurs at a competition, where illness can spread quickly. Disease outbreaks can create missed competitive opportunities and, more importantly, threats to horse health and welfare.
Practicing good biosecurity is your first line of defense in the face of an outbreak, but before one occurs, you need to have a working knowledge of common infectious disease agents, clinical signs of infection, treatment options, and preventative measures to keep horses healthy.
Equine infectious disease pathogens can be grouped based on the body systems they impact most:
- Respiratory – Equine Herpesvirus, Equine Influenza, Equine Strangles, Equine Viral Arteritis
- Gastrointestinal – Salmonella, Coronavirus, Parasitic infections (External Parasites, Internal Parasite Control)
- Neurologic – Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy, Arboviruses (Eastern/Western/Venezuelan Encephalitis), West Nile Virus
- Skin– Vesicular Stomatitis
Click the links above to learn more about each disease.
General Best Practices for Preventing Infectious Diseases
- Basic Biosecurity
- Check your horse’s temperature twice daily
- Observe for clinical signs of illness (cough, nasal discharge, fever, abnormal feces, change in water consumption, change in fecal output or fecal consistency, abnormal gait or mentation)
- Consult a veterinarian for vaccination and parasitic control program
- Isolate any horse with clinical signs of disease or a fever (temperature over 101.5ºF)
- Veterinary examination and diagnostic testing of horses with clinical signs compatible with infectious disease
- Routine cleaning and disinfecting of stables and equipment
- Avoid sharing of equipment that has not been cleaned and disinfected between uses.
- If you suspect you’re dealing with an infectious disease, contact your veterinarian and follow these steps.
