Equine Infectious Diseases
Preventing the spread of equine infectious diseases starts with vaccinating and disease awareness. At Mid-Rivers we are committed to helping you keep your horse healthy.
Infectious diseases are not only a danger to your horse, but to other horses and even humans. That’s why it is important to keep up a regular vaccination schedule. Understanding the symptoms, will likely lead to an early diagnosis and prompt treatment. The key is prevention!
Common Equine Infectious Diseases
Some of the most common infectious diseases for horses include, but are not limited to:
- Equine Herpes Virus (EHV 1 & EHV 4)
- Equine Influenza
- Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA)
- Potomac Horse Fever
- Rabies
- Strangles
- Tetanus
- West Nile Virus
- Eastern & Western Encephalitis
Vaccination Is The First Step Towards Prevention
To prevent infectious diseases and their spread, it is important horses be vaccinated yearly. While there aren’t vaccinations for all diseases, we offer the following vaccinations for the following diseases.
- Equine Herpes Virus (Rhino )
- Equine Influenza (Flu)
- Eastern & Western Equine Encephalitis
- Potomac Horse Fever
- Rabies
- Strangles
- Tetanus
- West Nile Virus
Preventing The Spread Of Equine Infectious Diseases
In cases where there is no vaccine available, early detection is of the utmost importance! Steps to take to avoid the spread of infectious disease include:
- Isolating the sick horse (At the hospital we have an isolation wing for patients with highly contagious diseases to prevent its spread to other patients.)
- Using foot baths with entering and exiting the stable
- Cleaning and disinfecting hands thoroughly after handling the infected horse
- Cleaning and disinfecting equipment, stalls, and trailers
- Avoid sharing equipment, medications, or food between the infected horse and healthy horses
To avoid the spread of infectious diseases, always:
- Try to avoid shipping your horse with horses from other farms
- Clean and disinfect trailers between use
- Change or clean your clothes and boots before returning to your horse after interacting with horses at another barn.
- Keep new horses isolated from the herd for at least 30 days
- Always keep your horse’s vaccinations up-to-date