The threat of communicable disease in horses is very real. To name just a few examples, it’s not uncommon to use public water troughs on trail rides or to share one rag to wipe the nose of every horse from one barn before they walk into the show ring.

Though “routine,” each of these practices—and many others—invite the spread of disease, potentially between hundreds of horses.

Though horses are often in the company of others and don’t become ill, what happens when a horse comes down with an infectious disease? How are horse owners alerted, especially if their horse may have been in contact with the sick horse? How do they know what information is real and what has been blown out of proportion? Most importantly, how do owners learn how to keep their horses safe?

These questions and others were the impetus behind the creation of the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). Similar to how the Weather Channel broadcasts weather alerts, the EDCC alerts horse owners to infectious diseases that are reported in North America.

The Cutting Show in Utah

In 2011, a cutting horse show in Ogden, Utah, experienced a significant equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) outbreak. With no means of organized information dissemination, rumors about the situation escalated rapidly, causing a state of near panic in some owners.

In total, over 2,000 horses were potentially exposed to the disease on 242 premises in 19 states. At the outbreak’s conclusion, 90 horses tested positive for the EHV-1 or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), another name for the neurologic disease associated with an EHV infection. Fifty-four of the 90 had been at the Ogden event. Thirteen horses died or were euthanized.

During the outbreak, Facebook and X (then called Twitter) lit up with rumors, causing heightened anxiety over horse health and spurring the cancellation of equine events across the country, even though most events had no connection with any horses that attended the Ogden event.

Seventeen of the confirmed EHV-1 and EHM cases were in California; show organizers opted to cancel 142 of the 530 sanctioned shows that were to be held in the state that year. The economic impact of those cancellations was significant and would be felt for years.

Creating the Equine Disease Communications Center

It became clear that a unified industry response plan to disease outbreaks was needed—one that not only allowed for the dissemination of legitimate data, but that also provided vetted information on how to prevent disease transmission and how to handle disease outbreaks.

The American Horse Council, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) all collaborated to fundraise and launch the Equine Disease Communications Center, which went live in 2015.

Nathaniel “Nat” White, DVM, DACVS, professor emeritus of equine surgery at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va., and director of the EDCC, organized the working model and gave the EDCC its moniker. In 2023, White won the Equine Industry Vision Award for this work at the American Horse Publications Equine Media Conference in Tempe, Ariz.

According to White, it was anything but a one-man show. State veterinarians, veterinary practices, horse-owner organizations (like breed and discipline associations), and individual donors helped—and continue to do so.

“Similar to the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], the EDCC seeks information about disease outbreaks, posts messages, and informs the equine industry about confirmed diseases, their location, and if there are potential risks to other horses,” White explains.

How It Works

Unlike a phone number or website where anyone can submit leads on suspected illness, the EDCC allows only specific people to report disease: an attending veterinarian or a state or federal official.

The veterinarian or official submits a confirmed or suspected disease through the EDCC website, which records the information in the database. The database then generates an alert, which is posted to the EDCC website and Facebook page.

Anyone who has become an alert subscriber via the EDCC website is also emailed. The reported disease is linked to an EDCC disease page, which has information describing the disease, the diagnosis and the treatment, says White. Downloadable disease fact sheets are also available.

All information regarding disease outbreak mitigation and how to handle an affected horse is reviewed for accuracy by the AAEP Infectious Disease Committee, which is populated by subject matter experts.

Reportable Diseases

Though the veterinarian or official can report a confirmed case of any equine disease to the EDCC, reporting of infectious diseases is of the most importance, says Katie Flynn, BVMS, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s senior staff veterinarian. A confirmed “reportable” disease is submitted to the EDCC by the state veterinarian, who is made aware of a confirmed diagnosis by the testing laboratory.

A reportable disease is one that is deemed to have a potential for significant impact on the equine industry, both on the health of the United States equine population and economically. When a reportable disease is diagnosed, the veterinarian or laboratory employee is required to report the disease to state or national veterinary health officials.

The list of reportable disease varies by state and may include:

◆ Equine Herpesvirus-1 neurologic (Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy)

◆ Equine Herpesvirus -1 abortion

◆ Equine influenza, Streptococcus equi (strangles)

◆ Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

◆ West Nile virus (WNV)

◆ Equine infectious anemia (EIA)

◆ Equine piroplasmosis (EP)

◆ Equine viral arteritis (EVA)

◆ Rabies

◆ Vesicular stomatitis (VS)

Many veterinarians, state horse councils and other horse-health organizations rely on the EDCC to inform horse owners of disease outbreaks. The alerts are posted in real time—the same day they are reported.

However, this doesn’t mean that the alert comes out the day the horse becomes ill; the alert is posted the day the veterinarian receives positive confirmation that the horse is ill with a specific disease.

The alert system can provide information about disease risk to horses at a specific location or at the location where the horses intend to travel, like to a horse show or trail ride.

“As the Equine Health and Biosecurity Veterinarian for the USEF, I encourage all horse show managers to visit this site frequently to keep informed of disease occurrences in the area,” says Flynn. “[This way] they can be prepared to implement stricter biosecurity measures, such as requiring shorter-dated health certificates or mandating temperature-taking for horses at their event.”

The EDCC alert system isn’t just for equine event managers or those who travel with their horses.

“This is also a beneficial tool for boarding facility managers,” says Flynn. “If a disease is detected in the geographic area of their facility, they can implement enhanced biosecurity measures, such as requiring every horse to have its temperature taken twice daily to quickly identify and isolate any potential sick horses to protect the rest of the herd.”

But Is It Working?

Though the EDCC is working as intended (as a warning system that can help prevent the spread of infectious equine diseases), more reporting of diseases is necessary. Submission of any disease to the EDCC is voluntary—whether it’s considered reportable or not.

“Reporting to the EDCC is voluntary, but strongly encouraged as a means for increasing awareness of equine infection diseases in the U.S.,” says Flynn. “Horse owners want to know if there is disease in the area that could put their horse at risk, so it’s important for horse owners to support and encourage reporting of equine infectious diseases cases by their veterinarian to the EDCC.”

The EDCC is a unique resource that serves to protect horses and the horse industry. All horse owners should sign up for EDCC alerts so they can be informed and aware of possible infectious disease in their area.

“Vigilance is necessary to ensure we’re adequately prepared for the storm—horse health, weather, or otherwise,” says White.

You can do your part by promoting the EDCC “as the trusted, accurate and verified disease alerts and biosecurity information,” says Flynn.

There is no fee associated with the use of the EDCC. However, donations to keep the service going are welcomed—and necessary.

Learn more at equinediseasecc.org.

This article about the Equine Disease Communications Center appeared in the September 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post How the Equine Disease Communications Center is Changing the Game appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Talk about opportunistic: The tiny tick is highly adaptable and focused on survival.

Although often wrongly identified as insects, ticks are actually eight-legged parasitic arachnids, making them relatives of the spider.

Unfortunately, ticks can transmit a variety of harmful pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi, the infective organism that causes Lyme disease in humans, dogs, and horses.

The disease takes its name from Lyme, Ct., where it was first identified in the U.S. in the mid-1970s.

Lyme disease is transmitted by Ixodes scapularis (the eastern black-legged tick), found in the north and eastern part of the U.S., and Ixodes pacificus (the western black-legged tick), found in the Pacific Coast states of the western U.S. Both are also referred to as “deer ticks,” as deer are common hosts.

Ticks have four life stages: egg, larvae, nymph, and adult. From larvae stage onward, blood meals are needed to survive.

It is through feeding that ticks become infected with disease-causing pathogens. For example, the black-legged tick can become a carrier of B. burgdorferi after feeding on a white-footed mouse, which is known to carry the bacterium. If that tick then feeds on a horse, human or dog, it can transmit B. burgdorferi.

Shaped like tiny corkscrews known as spirochetes, this bacterium can colonize in the bloodstream, brain, joints, organs, and central nervous system.

At Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, N.Y., Thomas J. Divers, DVM, has devoted years of research to studying bacterial tick-borne infections in horses.

Divers notes that the rise in tick numbers and their expanding geographic range has no doubt increased the exposure of humans, horses and dogs to B. burgdorferi.

Clinical Signs of Lyme Disease in Horses

Lyme disease is the most common of several tick-borne diseases affecting horses. Diagnosing Lyme, however, is not straightforward, and can in fact be extremely challenging.

In humans, Lyme disease can affect the entire body with an array of troubling symptoms, often causing misdiagnosis. A similar problem is found in the equine world, as the clinical signs of equine Lyme disease can mimic other diseases.

Another difficulty with diagnosing Lyme in horses is that the clinical signs aren’t consistent. These signs may include:

◆ Nodular skin disease at the tick bite site

◆ Neurologic disease affecting the spinal cord, brainstem or brain

◆ Uveitis (inflammation within the eye)

◆ Overall tenderness/sensitivity

◆ Vague lameness

◆ Neck and back stiffness with pain

◆ Muscle atrophy

◆ Behavioral changes

◆ Weight loss

◆ Ataxia (lack of voluntary coordination)

Adding to the challenge of diagnosis is that clinical signs may not appear for weeks—if not much later—and the horse may only exhibit random signs.

Diagnosing Lyme

In areas of the U.S. where B. burgdorferi exposure is common, 20 to 50 percent of adult horses have likely been exposed.

“The infection rate in horses is high, but clinical disease following infection appears to be very low in horses,” says Divers.

Exposure does not prove Lyme infection, so if your horse is exhibiting clinical signs related to the disease, your veterinarian should conduct a thorough exam to rule out any other causes.

If your veterinarian suspects Lyme, blood is drawn for serologic testing to determine if the horse’s immune system has produced antibodies to B. burgdorferi.

Having a high antibody suggests the horse has been exposed to the bacteria, but doesn’t necessarily confirm the horse has Lyme disease, since numerous equine diseases share similar clinical signs.

“It’s important to remember that most horses exposed to the bacteria and having a positive antibody test show no signs of Lyme disease,” says Divers. “If the antibody remains high without a drop in titer after several months, this suggests chronic infection, but most horses with this laboratory finding appear completely normal.

“I still believe clinical Lyme disease is much less common in horses than humans,” he adds. “There might be a slight increase in confirmed equine Lyme cases, but some of this is likely due to increased diagnostics, rather than a true increase in the disease.”

Treatment

Veterinarians admit that there is no “ideal” treatment protocol for equine Lyme disease.

Drug protocol and the duration of treatment should be determined by the attending veterinarian based on where the infection is in the horse’s body.

Divers emphasizes that it isn’t appropriate to use antibiotics to treat a horse that is antibody positive but doesn’t have a confirmed Lyme diagnosis, as this can contribute to widespread antimicrobial resistance.

Drugs in the tetracycline family, including doxycycline and minocycline, have been used to treat the disease. For a horse that truly has Lyme disease, a course of antibiotics may result in improvement of clinical signs within a few days. However, completely eliminating the B. burgdorferi organisms likely requires long-term treatment of weeks to months.

Divers generally recommends rechecking the antibody levels after six weeks. If no decline in titer is visible, the veterinarian should reassess the treatment protocol.

“Recovery from neurologic disease and uveitis is difficult,” cautions Divers, adding that prognosis is guarded in horses with such clinical signs from Lyme disease.

Protecting Horses from Exposure

No vaccines for Lyme disease are currently labeled for use in horses, although a vaccine is available for dogs. Some horse owners in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent have tried using these canine vaccines, but veterinarians may be hesitant to recommend such off-label use.

The best way to protect horses from possible infection is by limiting their exposure to ticks, which typically occurs when horses are turned out in or ridden through wooded areas.

When not on a host, ticks prefer shaded, sheltered areas with vegetation. If it’s not possible to keep horses out of wooded areas completely, maintain a 10-foot mowed boundary strip between wooded areas and open pasture. Keep that strip mowed very short, since ticks usually avoid open, sunny areas with little cover.

You should also protect your horse by:

◆ Keeping pastures well mowed; don’t let them get overgrown

◆ Removing weeds/leaf litter around barns, fence lines and under trees

◆ Practicing rodent control in and around barn

◆ Applying repellent products specifically labeled for use against ticks and, ideally, approved for use on horses

◆ Checking horses thoroughly after any exposure to areas that may harbor ticks

Unless you see a tick moving on a light-colored horse, you aren’t usually aware of their presence without careful observation. Check closely in thin-skinned areas of the horse’s body, including the chest, neck, flank, under the mane and tail, inside ears, and under the belly.

It’s often said that a tick must be attached for 24 hours before the Lyme disease organism can be transmitted, but this is not black and white. The best protection plan to is keep ticks off horses as much as possible.

Even if they don’t transmit disease, the ticks can cause inflammation, swelling and itching at the bite site.

After removing a tick, clean the site thoroughly with an antiseptic made for equine use, then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

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Here’s what to watch for to catch this cancer early and what to do if your horse has it.

What is Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

The name itself—squamous cell carcinoma—can sound confusing and even intimidating, so let’s start with the basics.

What is a squamous cell, anyway? These are normal cells in the body. They are primarily found in the skin, particularly at mucocutaneous borders. These borders are where dry skin intersects with a mucous membrane, such as the line between skin and the lips, nostrils, anus, genitals, and eyelids.

Understanding the normal location of this cell type then provides context for where SCC is commonly found: in or around the eye, the genitalia and anus, and lips/nose.

The term “carcinoma” refers to a type of cancer that starts within skin cells or the lining of internal organs. In addition to SCC, there are a few other types of carcinomas, such as basal cell carcinoma, which is rare in horses but common in humans.

SCC development is related to sun and subsequent UV exposure. It’s no surprise, then, that SCC is common in horses who can spend most of their life outside, accumulating UV skin damage.

However, horses with lots of non-pigmented (pink) skin on their faces, such as horses with wide blazes or bald faces where eyes and muzzles have pink skin, have a higher rate of SCC.

Breeds that tend to have extended white on their faces such as Clydesdales, Belgians, Appaloosas, and some Paints have a higher risk of developing SCC than other breeds. Lighter-colored horses, such as palominos and cremellos, are also at higher risk for SCC.

What To Look For

So what does SCC look like in a horse? Typically, this tumor initially appears as a small, raised lump or nodule under the skin. SCC within the eye may give the cornea a flat or roughened opaque appearance.

Early SCC can be easily missed due to its small size and sometimes hidden location. As the tumor grows, it can erupt, become ulcerated, and start to impinge on neighboring tissues. SCC of the eyelid can be particularly problematic. As the tumor enlarges, it may start to pull at the lid. This can either rub the cornea or pull outward, resulting in the inability of the horse to fully close his eye.

Because it is easier to remove when it is small, the best course of action with SCC is early detection. When you groom your horse, keep an eye out for odd bumps or lesions. Owners of white-faced horses should be especially observant of their horse’s facial features on a regular basis, including a close look at the eye itself.

SCC on the eyelid typically starts off looking like a small scab, while SCC at the corner of the eye or within the third eyelid is typically a raised, pink mass. Horses with ocular SCC may also have eye discharge.

Regular checks should also include the genitals and underneath your horse’s tail. For male horses, make the most of sheath cleaning: this is the perfect time for an inspection.

SCC Treatment Options for Horses

What should you do if you find something suspicious on your horse? The first step is to have your vet out. Although you may have a very high suspicion of SCC based on the lump’s location or your horse’s history or pigment pattern, you can’t diagnose SCC based on visual examination alone.

Sometimes SCC can be confused with scar tissue, other types of tumors (such as papillomas or sarcoids), or even a skin allergy. A biopsy, or tissue sample, is the best way to definitively diagnose this tumor.

Once your vet confirms the diagnosis, it’s time to talk treatment options. As with most tumors, its location, size, and involvement of neighboring tissues heavily influence treatment options and prognosis.

Surgical removal is a common choice, but location of the tumor dictates treatment success rate. For example, SCC at the corner of the eyelid can be very challenging to reconstruct after removal of the diseased tissue. Other times, SCC may grow into deeper structures around the eye. In these circumstances, total enucleation may be the best option for the horse’s future.

Adjunct treatments along with surgical removal are the most common choices of treatment and management of SCC. These adjunct therapies occur at the time of surgery and may need to be repeated.

Cryotherapy (freezing) is a common adjunct therapy that can be done on site at your barn. Your vet will apply liquid nitrogen, which is -320° Fahrenheit, to the edges where the tumor was removed. This helps destroy any leftover cancer cells.

Some radiation and chemotherapy options are also available. Depending on the regimen, they may require a visit or two to a referral hospital for application.

Photodynamic dye therapy (PDT) is a relatively newer option for SCC treatment. This therapy involves injecting a dye containing photosensitive compounds into the affected area.

This dye is taken up selectively by the cancer cells. Next, a focused beam of light using a specific wavelength is directed at the diseased tissue. The light reacts with the dye, creating a skin reaction that kills the tissue.

Because only the cancer cells take up the dye, other nearby healthy tissue is relatively unaffected, providing a much more focused treatment compared to radiation and chemotherapy.

Prognosis after surgery and adjunct therapy for SCC depends heavily on the size and location of the tumor and how locally invasive it is. Horse owners should note, too, that once a horse has had SCC, he is at higher risk of developing it again.

Prevention Tips

Along with regular close monitoring of your horse’s skin, reducing your horse’s exposure to UV radiation is another tool for SCC prevention. Regularly applying sunblock to your horse’s non-pigmented facial features can help, as can putting a fly mask on your horse in the summer months to shade his eyes.

Interestingly, researchers at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have identified an equine gene variant that is a risk factor for ocular SCC in certain breeds, including Haflingers, Belgians, Rocky Mountain Horses, Connemaras, Holsteiners, and Belgian Warmbloods.

Horse owners can send plucked hairs from the mane that include the roots to the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory to identify whether their horses are at higher genetic risk of developing ocular SCC.

Treatment options continue to develop for this equine cancer, and horse owners have more options than they did just a decade ago. While this is encouraging, the best course of action is still vigilance to catch this tumor early for a full recovery.

Key Takeaway

As with any cancer, squamous cell carcinoma is intimidating. But remember—prevention and early detection are your best weapons.

This article about squamous cell carcinoma in horses appeared in the June 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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What is Botulism in Horses?

A disease caused by a neurotoxin released from Clostridium botulinum bacteria, botulism neurotoxin is one of the most lethal natural substances. Botulism attacks the nervous system of infected mammals, binding to nerves and impairing their function. In extreme cases, the cardiac and respiratory systems can be affected, rending the animal unable to breathe or maintain a regular cardiac rhythm.

Though there are seven types of botulism—A, B, Ca, Cb, D, E, F and G—the one of most concern to horse health is type B, which causes more than 80 percent of equine botulism cases.

Botulism is a naturally occurring toxin found in the environment that is harmful to mammals.

“Horses are exquisitely sensitive to botulism,” says Rachel Blakey, VMD, of Maryland Equine Center in Reisterstown, Md. “The amount of botulism that can kill a horse may not impair a mouse; horses are simply that susceptible.”

Botulism bacteria are very hardy and live without oxygen and sunlight. They can be found in the soil, in the sediment of lakes and streams, and in the intestinal tracts of mammals.

How Botulism is Transmitted in Horses

A horse can get botulism in three ways, though ingestion of the preformed bacteria is the most common.

1. By eating hay or feed that has botulism toxin already in it (ingestion of preformed bacteria). This is the means most often associated with feed-based poisonings, like the contaminated alfalfa cubes that killed 45 horses in late 2022.

Animals that are accidentally baled into hay can release the toxin from their intestinal tract when they begin to decay, contaminating the hay that surrounds them. Large round bales are particularly susceptible to botulism contamination because their mass allows for more room for contamination than small square bales.

2. By ingesting feed, hay or other organic matter that contain botulism bacteria, which then multiply in the intestinal tract and release neurotoxins (transmission in this manner is most common in foals).

Botulism bacteria favors dark, moist environments, like piles of wet feed or tree roots that aren’t exposed to sunlight. In these environmental conditions, botulism is not accessible. However, when a tree falls over and a horse chews on the roots or when the pile of feed is discovered and ingested, the bacteria can become harmful as it multiplies in the intestinal tract and releases the neurotoxin.

Botulism in foals is also called “shaker foal syndrome” or “barker foal syndrome,” as the foal’s vocal cords are paralyzed, making them sound as if they’re barking when they vocalize.

3. By the introduction of bacteria through wounds. Wounds that encapsulate bacteria while healing provide an anaerobic environment where the bacteria flourish.

It’s important to note that botulism is not a disease that spreads between horses. If one horse on the property gets botulism, he is not “contagious”; in other words, he cannot give botulism to other horses via nasal secretions, shared tack, or in any of the other ways equine viral diseases spread.

Clinical Signs of Botulism

The extent to which a horse is affected by the botulism toxin depends on how much they have ingested, says Blakey. No matter if the illness comes on rapidly or more gradually, the initial symptom is always the same: muscle weakness.

The first muscles in horses that lose tone (meaning they are not able to hold themselves as needed to function properly) include the eyelids, tongue, tail and anus. This means that a horse with botulism will have problems eating, chewing and swallowing, and his muscles will fatigue quickly; he may drool or have upper eyelids that droop.

A horse with botulism will also experience muscle tremors. Progressive paralysis occurs in more severe cases, often affecting the horse’s ability to stand; it can also affect a horse’s respiratory and cardiac systems, causing death.

The biggest predictor of whether a horse will survive a bout of botulism is if he can stand.

“If a horse can stay up, they often survive,” says Blakey. “Sixty percent of horses that go down, but can rise, survive.” A horse that is recumbent and unable to rise without assistance has a poorer prognosis.

So how does a vet determine if a horse has botulism and not another issue with similar clinical signs, such as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM)?

“The very first thing I ask when I see any signs like this is, ‘Is your horse vaccinated against botulism?’” says Blakey. Knowing if a horse has been vaccinated against botulism allows her to immediately rule out botulism as the cause of illness, saving time (and money!) while drilling down to a diagnosis.

Time is of the essence in botulism treatment, but treatment can be delayed as horse owners and veterinarians work to determine exactly what is happening with the horse’s health. Some horses may lie down more as their muscles fatigue, which can be misdiagnosed as colic, says Blakey.

One telltale sign that the horse has botulism and not another disease is that the muscle weakness the horse is experiencing is symmetrical, says Blakey. Horses with botulism have flaccid, floppy muscles, while horses with tetanus have hard, rigid muscles.

Additionally, one of the biggest things to rule out is trauma, says Blakey.

Treatment and Prevention

Early recognition and prompt treatment is imperative in giving a horse the best chance at a full recovery. If botulism toxicity is suspected, the horse can be treated with plasma containing an antitoxin, which binds to free toxin molecules in the blood, preventing them from attaching to nerve cells. This treatment is not cheap (often running between $1,500 and $3,000), and the antitoxin cannot reverse the effects of the toxin that has already bound to nerve cells.

Eventually the toxin degrades, however. If the horse survives, all muscular deficits he experienced while the disease was active will fade; botulism has no lasting effects on a horse. However, muscling and physical aptitude may take weeks or months to return to normal as new nerve endings grow.

The best preventative measure for ensuring a horse doesn’t contract botulism? Vaccination.

“The botulism vaccine is very effective,” says Blakey. “I insist all my broodmares be vaccinated, so I haven’t seen a shaker [foal] in years,” says Blakey. “And I encourage everyone to vaccinate for botulism. The cost of the vaccine is a pittance compared to the cost of antitoxin treatment for affected horses. I also push hard for those who feed round bales to vaccinate their horses again.”

There is no downside to botulism vaccination and there is not a population of horses that could not benefit from the protection. While there is a chance that the horse may become sore around the injection site (as with any vaccination), the minor soreness is a minimal price to pay for the safeguard from the toxin the vaccination provides.

Are Vaccinations Effective for Everything? There are multiple types of botulism that can affect horses, including types A, B and C, though type A is uncommon. Equine botulism vaccines are effective against type B, but don’t provide protection against the other types. Though a botulism vaccine is not considered a “core vaccine” by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (meaning these vaccines should be given to every horse, no matter where they reside), there are specific populations of horses that should be vaccinated against the disease: ◆ Broodmares ◆ Horses that live in areas of the United States where botulism is endemic: The disease is most prevalent in California, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, though it can occur in any state. ◆ Horses that eat from round bales Botulism vaccination begins with three doses given at four-week intervals, with boosters given annually. After the initial series, pregnant mares should be vaccinated yearly (two to four weeks before foaling). Foals in high-risk situations can start the series of botulism vaccines as early as two weeks old. Foals born to unvaccinated mares or those that have not ingested enough quality colostrum from the mare (failure of passive transfer) can have botulism vaccination initiated early in life. Botulism protection provided by the mare’s colostrum generally wanes by about 5 months of age, and vaccination should be considered at this time.

Key Takeaway

“Botulism is a normal part of our environment,” says Blakey. “It’s not some weird threat, and it doesn’t happen because a horse owner isn’t ‘clean.’”

However, like many other equine-related health concerns, good husbandry can minimize the incidence of disease. This includes not feeding moldy hay or grain or hay that has been baled with a high moisture content, plus keeping pastures and barns free from dead rodents and animals.

If horses live in an area where botulism occurs or if they’re fed round bales, vaccination is the most-recommended route of prevention.

This article about botulism in horses appeared in the March 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Botulism in Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

What is Vesicular Stomatitis?

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease that primarily affects horses and cattle, though it can also affect pigs, sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas. It’s not a new disease; it’s been referenced in texts as far back as the mid-1800s.

VS is found only in the Western Hemisphere; it’s considered an endemic disease of the Americas, occurring in the warmer regions of North, Central and South America. Even though it’s old, there is no vaccination that can protect horses from contracting the disease.

Horses affected by VS may have a fever or salivate excessively and go off their feed. However, the most tell-tale sign of the disease is blister-like lesions (vesicles) on areas of the horse’s body that have minimal hair, like around the mouth, nostrils, coronary bands, sheath or teats.

Blisters can also form in the mouth and on the tongue. When these blisters break, they leave behind raw, exposed, painful skin. Horses with VS will often be reluctant to eat or move.

Age or Underlying Conditions

While often quite painful, most horses heal in a few weeks with nothing more than supportive care, which can include the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to treat pain.

However, older horses or those with an underlying condition may have a more difficult time recovering from a VS infection; these are the horses Pelzel-McCluskey is particularly concerned about.

For these horses, she recommends conferring with the horse’s treating veterinarian about the possibility of feeding a beet pulp instead of hay or grain, or considering the administration of intravenous fluids. Oral lesions can cause enough pain to stop a horse from eating or drinking enough to keep him healthy, putting him at risk of dehydration or colic.

Even horses that become significantly lame from lesions on their coronet bands often heal with no complications other than a defect demarcation in the hoof wall when it grows out.

Why Is Vesicular Stomatitis Concerning?

It’s been established that VS isn’t particularly deadly, and it’s only found in a small geographic area relative to the size of the world.

Why then, is it a disease horse owners need to worry about? Because the impact on the economy—both within the United States and abroad—can be substantial. VS is an international trade issue, explains Pelzel-McCluskey.

The lesions common in VS infections look disturbingly similar to the lesions caused by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which can affect sheep, goats, pigs and cows (FMD does not affect horses, cats or dogs). FMD spreads rapidly, and just one case can shut down international trade completely and have massive economic consequences. FMD is one of the most-feared livestock diseases: In some countries, a FMD diagnosis carries a slaughter mandate.

This means that livestock owners in countries where animals can contract FMD (which doesn’t include the United States; FMD was eradicated here in 1929) will do anything it takes to not have animals present with something that even looks like the dreaded disease—which includes VS.

Mandatory Reporting

Like most things in life, open lines of communication are key. All VS cases are “reportable,” meaning that a veterinarian is required to report suspected cases to state and federal animal health officials, who then have to notify trade partners if cases are confirmed.

To ensure that international trade of livestock continues (even if there is a VS outbreak), the U.S. agrees to quarantine all horses affected by VS and report all VS situations to countries with which they trade. If these pieces are in place, equine trade can continue even in the face of an outbreak.

If these things are not adhered to, however, international trade can come to an immediate halt. This causes huge economic impacts, as horses cannot be imported or exported for showing, racing or sales. Shipping of frozen or cooled semen can continue, though some countries may require a stallion test negative before the semen will be accepted for importation.

While there are no exact figures available, it’s estimated that 30,000 horse are shipped by air each year, the majority internationally. So, while you personally might not be sending your horse to an overseas competition, you may have contact with someone who will be around horses that plan to travel abroad—and they may unintentionally spread the disease.

How Vesicular Stomatitis is Transmitted

There are three main VS insect vectors: black flies, sand flies and biting midges, explains Pelzel-McCluskey.

“Both the black flies and the Culicoides [midges] drive most of the VS outbreaks in the United States, though there may be some other insects that can spread the disease as well,” she says.

Interestingly, if a VS-carrying insect bites a horse where he has hair, the horse will not develop the outward lesions associated with VS, but he will create antibodies to the virus. The lesions develop only if an infected insect bites a horse where he has little hair cover.

While this seems like the stars must align for the disease to spread, it can also be transmitted from horse to horse via direct contact or on items that have had contact with the ruptured lesions of an infected animal, like buckets, shared troughs and feed bins; even eating out of the same round bale or sharing communal salt blocks can spread the disease, says Pelzel-McCluskey.

Stopping the Spread

VS can spread rapidly, so quarantining affected horses is imperative. The virus can remain active for seven to 10 days once lesions appear on the horse; quarantine lasts for “14 days from the onset of lesions in the last infected animal on the premise.”

Local geography affects how VS vectors move and lay their eggs: black flies like flowing water, while Culicoides prefer damp, muddy areas like those around water troughs and riverbanks.

Black flies’ preference for moving water explains how infected insects can often end up miles from original outbreaks. VS most often enters the United States from Mexico.

“We have a series of historically expected cases because of the way water moves,” explains Pelzel-McCluskey. “It’s often seen in the Southwestern United States and the Rocky Mountain area.”

While it would be expected for VS to appear only in the late spring and summer when biting insects are at their peak, it’s not unusual to have VS outbreaks in the dead of winter in Colorado or Wyoming, according to Pelzel-McCluskey.

These outbreaks are almost always the result of Culicoides, which can withstand cooler weather than black flies. These insects become inactive in cold weather, but one warm day—even in the dead of winter—can reinvigorate them. Culicoides lay their eggs in wet areas, like around water troughs and on riverbanks, the very places livestock go when the weather warms.

Additional Prevention Tips Keep bedding dry Feed horses in individual feeders Clean and disinfect horse trailers, equipment, waterers and other equine equipment regularly Eliminate muddy areas in fields and on ground Keep manure piles as far as possible from fields and stables Investigate the use of parasitic wasps or guinea hens to keep insect populations in check

How to Handle an Outbreak

Controlling a VS outbreak must be a multi-pronged approach, says Pelzel-McCluskey.

• First, the owner must isolate a VS-infected animal to minimize disease spread in the horse’s home herd. Additionally, the farm itself must be quarantined to limit the movement of possibly infected animals.
• Second, an aggressive vector control program to reduce the fly population must begin.
  “Owners need to remove manure and standing water,” says Pelzel-McCluskey. “They also need to get rid of tall weeds where insects tend to hide.”
• Third, fly-control measures need to be implemented or ramped up. This includes daily application of fly spray to horses (including all particularly vulnerable areas like under the belly, sheath or teats and on the face) and the implementation of tools like parasitic wasps that feed on fly larvae, fans (to keep air flowing), or equine fly gear.If you choose to use things like fly sheets, fly masks or fly boots, it’s critical that they cover areas that are most at risk, including muzzles (think fly masks with nose coverings), bellies (fly sheets with bellybands may help) or ears (fly masks with ear coverings).

“Think hard about biosecurity and vector mitigation for disease reasons,” says Pelzel-McCluskey. Both play a part in halting the spread of VS. “The horse doesn’t need to be living in a screened stall,” she clarifies. “We have so many infectious diseases that can be prevented by good biosecurity practices and vector control. No one can do it all, but you do want to have a [fly-control] program in place.”

Additionally, owners who implement new fly-control measures should keep a close eye on whether those measures are working. If they are not working at all or don’t seem to be working well, consider trying another, says Pelzel-McCluskey.

Key Takeaway

Pelzel-McCluskey advises horse owners and caretakers to take vesicular stomatitis seriously.

“It’s not just your individual horse that is affected by the disease,” she says. “Good care means you’re improving the lives of all horses on the property,” which has a ripple effect into the entire population of horses worldwide.

This article about vesicular stomatitis appeared in the January/February 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post An Overview of Vesicular Stomatitis appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Discover the transmission, progression, treatment and possible complications of one of the oldest equine diseases in the world.

An Age-Old Disease

“Strangles was one of the first equine diseases to be described in 1251,” says Katie Flynn, BVMS, Senior Staff Veterinarian-Equine Health & Biosecurity for the United States Equestrian Federation and former Kentucky State Veterinarian.

Though nearly 775 years have passed, it still affects equines globally and remains one of the most diagnosed equine diseases in the world.

“In the United States, strangles is considered endemic, meaning it’s detected regularly in the horse population,” says Flynn.

If you’ve ever had strep throat, you can commiserate with a horse that has strangles; both infections cause enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck. Strangles can affect horses of any breed or age, but older horses typically show more mild signs.

How Strangles Is Transmitted Among Horses

The Streptococcus equi bacteria that cause strangles are primarily transmitted through nose-to-nose contact with another horse, but the bacteria can also be transferred through feed, water, buckets, stall walls, veterinary instruments, clothes, grooming and barn tools, tack, and trailers.

Nearly any surface can harbor S. equi for a time, which is why strict biosecurity protocols for ill horses are imperative.

“Whatever you touch has the potential to be contaminated, and if not cleaned and disinfected, can transfer the bacteria to a new horse directly or via someone else’s hand to a new horse,” says Flynn.

Before panic ensues, it’s important to understand that S. equi can stay active in water buckets and moist areas for four to six weeks, but the bacteria can only survive for about one to three days in drier areas such as on fencing or in soil, says Flynn.

“Because the organism typically dies quickly in a sunny, dry environment, the usual source of infection is an infected horse,” she explains.

Similar to tracing the transmission of Covid-19, determining when exactly a horse got sick—and from whom—can be nearly impossible. The time between a horse’s exposure to the bacteria and the onset of clinical signs can be anywhere from three to 14 days, says Flynn.

Progression of Strangles in Horses

Though most horse owners associate a snotty nose as the first indication that a horse may have strangles (or another bacterial or viral disease), the first sign that something is amiss can actually occur 24 to 48 hours before in the form of a raised temperature.

If the fever is caught before a horse develops a snotty nose, a strangles outbreak can be minimized if that horse is immediately isolated from all other horses. It’s important to remember that an elevated temperature is when it goes up from that particular horse’s baseline, and not solely when the temp rises above the standard 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

“If there’s a jump, even if it’s still within the ‘normal’ range, the horse should be moved to an isolation area,” says Ashley Boyle, DVM, DACVIM, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine New Bolton Center.

As the disease progresses, so too will the horse’s clinical signs; his temperature will rise, often alarmingly. Thick, yellow nasal discharge is often seen, and the horse may have swollen lymph nodes under his jaw and around his throat latch.

“When the infection involves lymph nodes above the airway, horses adopt an extended neck posture and may cough,” says Flynn. Other signs of illness can include poor appetite, foul-smelling breath, lethargy and loss of condition.

A vet caring for a horse that is suspected of having strangles will perform a nasopharyngeal swab or a nasopharyngeal wash on the horse. The nasopharyngeal swab is extremely similar to a Covid test: A piece of cotton is passed up the nose, rubbed around the nasal passages, and sent for testing. A nasal wash is like a neti pot for horses; the vet will run a thin tube up the horse’s nose, flush sterile saline into the tube and catch what runs out the other nostril. This fluid is then tested. 

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is the test most used to detect strangles; it detects S. equi bacterial DNA. Culturing the secretions is also a possibility, though this is not as rapid or as sensitive a form of testing.

Some vets will perform a blood test to measure serum antibody levels, but this test is not useful in detecting current infection.

“However, paired serum samples taken two weeks apart can be useful in recognizing recent exposure,” says Flynn.

Treatment of Strangles

There is not much that can be done for a horse with strangles except supportive care while the infection runs its course.

This may involve administering anti-inflammatories to lower body temperature or feeding the horse wet feed or hay from the ground. Feeding in this manner will make the food easier for the horse to swallow, as well as encourage abscesses to drain. A hot compress placed on abscesses can encourage them to burst.

Some vets administer antibiotics to strangles-exposed horses as soon as they have an elevated temperature to prevent abscess formation. This practice is controversial, as the antibiotics may allow the horse to be re-infected with strangles the next time he is exposed.

Strangles bacteria can hide in a horse’s guttural pouches, which are sacs of air located on either side of the horse’s head. These pouches are designed to cool the brain, ensuring that the blood near the brain is below the horse’s core body temperature, especially during exercise.

A horse with strangles will need to have his guttural pouches scoped before he is considered free from the disease. Scoping involves threading a long, flexible rod with a camera up through the horse’s nose and examining the pouches. This flexible rod can also be used to administer antibiotics into the pouches if strangles bacteria is discovered.

A small basket can also be placed on the end of the rod to remove chondroids (dried pus) that may be found in the guttural pouches. A horse must be free of bacteria and chondroids, as well as have multiple negative nasal washes or nasal swabs, to be considered “clear” from the disease.

Strangles Vaccine There are two types of strangles vaccines available: intramuscular (IM) injection, which is given like a traditional vaccine, and intranasal, which is misted up the nasal passage and provides mucosal protection, as well. It’s important to remember that vaccine administration does not mean the horse will not get sick; it simply means that the horse will have less-severe disease presentation. “I do not recommend that every horse get the strangles vaccine,” said Boyle. The vaccine is really only needed by competition or trail horses that are regularly exposed to unfamiliar horses or for horses that live with horses that regularly travel, she notes. Horses that have been exposed to a strangles outbreak should wait at least one year before they’re vaccinated with either the intranasal or intramuscular vaccine. Some horse’s immune systems can be overstimulated by the vaccine and the animal might develop purpura, says Boyle. Purpura hemorrhagica is swelling of the blood vessels in the head, neck and abdomen. Most cases are mild and are treated with antibiotics and corticosteroids. It’s important that horse owners understand that vaccination alone is not effective, says Katie Flynn, BVMS, Senior Staff Veterinarian-Equine Health & Biosecurity for the U.S. Equestrian Federation. “Vaccination may be an effective method of disease control in individual [horses] and herds when used in conjunction with a biosecurity plan.”

Complications

“Equine strangles is a disease with a high morbidity rate, meaning many horses on a premises may become ill with the disease,” explains Flynn. “But approximately 98 percent of horses recover after several weeks in the acute phase of disease. Death due to strangles is not common.

“Inflammation associated with lymph node abscess formation and rupture may cause obstruction of the upper respiratory tract, hence the name strangles,” she adds. Damage to the nerves near the abscess may result in the horse having difficulty breathing; further damage can make it difficult for the horse to eat.

One of the scariest complications of strangles is its bastardization, where abscesses may occur in multiple sites, including the brain, abdomen and mammary glands. Additionally, cases of S. equi pneumonia have been known to occur.

Should Anyone Be Notified If Your Horse Has Strangles?

Strangles is considered a “reportable” disease in most states, meaning that the state veterinarian must be made aware of a positive test result (this is the responsibility of the testing laboratory or the veterinarian, not the horse owner).

From there, the disease is classified as either “reportable actionable” or “reportable monitored,” according to Flynn.

“In the majority of states, strangles is ‘reportable monitored,’ meaning no regulatory action is taken by state officials, but they do monitor the detections to determine if there is an increase or decrease in prevalence or a change in geographic distribution,” she says. “Very few states take regulatory action such as quarantine, testing and required biosecurity measures.”

There are multiple reasons why strangles may not be “reportable actionable” in a state. This can range from lack of state regulatory resources to do things like implement quarantine, the challenges associated with releasing a quarantine (and the testing that must take place to do so) or the state’s equine industry may not have requested or does not support enforceable action for the disease, says Flynn.

The fact that the disease is not deemed “actionable” in many states should not in any way indicate that the disease is not serious, says Flynn.

“Strangles can pose significant risk to the individual equine, the herd, and the national equine population if proper biosecurity protocols are not followed.”

Containing an Outbreak

There are three keys to containing a strangles outbreak, says Boyle. These are taking temperatures, isolating and separating.

The ability to detect a sick horse by any deviation from his “normal” temperature will give farm owners 24- to 48-hour advance notice that the horse may have strangles. Once the horse is identified, if he’s immediately moved (isolated) and separated from not only his neighbors, but also from staff who may interact with multiple horses, the likelihood of minimal farm impact increases.

The isolation area need not be fancy, Boyle stresses—it just needs to be effective.

“Even if it’s a shed that’s got a gate to separate them, it’s better than nothing,” she says. “Even better would be to have a paddock as a barrier in between affected and unaffected horses.

“I deal with farms all the time that say, ‘Well, everyone is exposed because I had one horse test positive,’” says Boyle. “This truly isn’t the case. Every horse may be minimally exposed, but I have successfully minimized outbreaks by immediately isolating the horse. The ‘everyone is exposed’ mentality is not the way to go—you’ll deal with a much longer outbreak and have more horses with complications that may also turn into potential carriers afterward. What you do up front [to isolate and separate] can really limit the outbreak.”

In addition to being proactive about isolating horses that are sick or that may become sick, all other traditional biosecurity measures should be in place: not sharing buckets, tack or equipment; handling the ill horse last (and preferably by just one staff member), and paying scrupulous attention to details like ensuring hose ends aren’t dipped from bucket to bucket.

Key Takeaway

Though not often deadly, strangles presents a unique set of issues related to the ease with which it’s transmitted and the delay in symptom onset. Keen attention should be paid to all horses that travel off the farm and daily temperature-taking should be incorporated into every horse’s daily health check.

This article about strangles appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post An Overview of Strangles in Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Horse owners often find it challenging to keep up with the latest vaccination recommendations, and some may not grasp their importance in keeping horses healthy and strong. Your horse needs certain “core” vaccines, and may also need non-core vaccines based on his usual activities, geographic location, and other considerations.

Although you might be hesitant to get your horse poked, it’s for his protection, and vaccines are generally safe. They have been well-tested, and many have been used for decades. Vaccination should be routine, so read on for current recommendations, potential side effects, and the overall importance of having your horse vaccinated.

Core Vaccines

One of the best measures to protect your horse’s health is a vaccination program. Core vaccines are often administered in an initial series of two to three shots, and then once or twice a year after that. Skipping core vaccinations could mean sickness or even death among your equine family.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has established vaccination guidelines for horses. Core vaccinations are those recommended for all horses, regardless of age, sex or region where they live. These include any vaccines required by law and those that protect animals from diseases that are highly infectious, pose a risk of severe illness, are of potential public health significance, or are endemic to a region.

Kris Hiney, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and equine extension specialist for the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Sciences. She says the five core vaccines are Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, West Nile virus, tetanus and rabies.

“We consider these ‘core’ due to the risk of fatality associated with these diseases,” she says. “And the human health risk with rabies, of course.”

5 Core Vaccines

The following are recommendations for core vaccines based on the guidelines provided by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Always work with your veterinarian to develop the ideal vaccination schedule for your horse.

◆ Eastern & Western Equine Encephalomyelitis: EEE and WEE are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, but they’re also infrequently transmitted by ticks, other insects, or nasal secretions. While EEE has been reported throughout North and South America, WEE is more common in the western United States. Both have a high mortality rate, and vaccinations are recommended for all horses in North America.

◆ Rabies: Rabies is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, typically wildlife, and is endemic in every state but Hawaii. Although the incidence of rabies in horses is low, it presents a considerable public health risk, and it’s almost always fatal among horses, making it a core annual vaccination to all equines.

◆ Tetanus: Tetanus presents a risk to all horses and is often fatal. Although it isn’t contagious, horses can develop tetanus through a Clostridium tetani infection resulting from its entrance into a wound or from environmental exposure to the toxin—which resides in the soil—if a horse eats contaminated soil or droppings. The vaccines currently available are recommended for all horses.

◆ West Nile Virus: WNV is nearly always transmitted by mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. It’s been identified throughout the continental United States, Mexico, and most of Canada, and is the leading cause of arbovirus encephalitis in horses. However, it’s not directly contagious from horse to horse or equine to human.

Non-Core Vaccines

One or more non-core vaccines also may be recommended following a risk-benefit analysis. Recommendations of non-core vaccines vary based on region and specific horse populations
within an area.

The risks of horses contracting non-standard diseases aren’t always easy to identify, which is one of the many reasons it’s important to consult a veterinarian. Equine vets understand what’s endemic in an area and which horses may be at higher risk for certain diseases, so they can recommend the appropriate non-core vaccines to add.

“Non-core—flu/rhino, strangles, Potomac—are considered risk-based more on the lifestyle of the horse and if they are endemic,” Hiney explains.

Some non-core vaccinations that may be recommended due to risk-based assessments include:
◆ Anthrax
◆ Botulism
◆ Equine herpesvirus (also called equine rhinopneumonitis, or “rhino”)
◆ Equine influenza (aka “flu”)
◆ Equine viral arteritis
◆ Leptospirosis
◆ Potomac Horse Fever
◆ Rotavirus
◆ Snake bite
◆ Strangles
◆ Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis

Don’t Forget Boosters

Once your horse receives the initial series of a core vaccine, he’ll still require boosters. Many vaccines require an annual booster to maintain immunity, but some diseases may require more frequent action.

“Booster frequency depends on how endemic the disease is and your horse’s level of exposure,” Hiney explains. She says there isn’t a lot of research on how long vaccines last in horses, which is why they recommend annual boosters for all, and even more frequent ones in certain circumstances. She says they have a better idea of the duration of immunity in companion animals.

“To some degree, we’re probably over-vaccinating horses for tetanus,” says Garrett Metcalf, DVM, an equine veterinarian at Pine Ridge Equine Hospital in Glenpool, Okla. “However, horses are rather sensitive to the neurotoxin produced from Clostridium tetani that leads to the clinical signs of tetanus. Infected horses can be treated and saved, but up to 75 percent of them still die. It’s better to just over-vaccinate them, which won’t hurt them.”

Boosters help maintain a good protective level of antibodies, so if you forgo boosters, your horse may no longer be protected when exposed to a disease. If you allow his annual vaccinations to lapse longer than a couple of years, your vet may recommend that the primary series be administered again before recommencing annual boosters.

Injection Site

The best injection site for vaccinations is another area where a veterinarian’s extensive knowledge plays a key role. You must consider the possibility of adverse reactions when choosing injection sites.

For example, it’s not recommended to inject vaccines into the gluteal muscles or hip region of a horse because considerable tissue damage can occur should an abscess develop. If lesions erupt, they could require a long healing time.

“The neck is the usual site, in the ‘triangle,’” says Hiney. “But if a horse has an adverse reaction and his neck is stiff and sore, he may be more reluctant to move.”

Metcalf says that some people still vaccinate their own horses, and some vaccines can be purchased at feed stores. He emphasizes that it’s always better to let your vet administer vaccines, but if he has a client who insists on doing it themselves, he always shows them at least once where to give the shot.

“The ideal spot is [the triangle-shaped area] about the size of your hand right in front of the shoulder blade, in the middle of the neck,” says Metcalf. “Too low and it’s too near the cervical spine. Too high and it’s in the fat within the nuchal ligament instead of the muscle.

“When it’s in the fat, the horse won’t have an immune response,” he continues. “Horses can also get really sore when vaccinated in this spot. They can’t lower their head to eat and can’t move their neck well. Be educated.”

While administering your horse’s vaccines yourself isn’t advisable, working with your vet also has the benefit of ensuring serious side effects can be quickly identified and handled properly. If you insist on administering vaccines yourself, realize that some manufacturers will not reimburse for adverse outcomes.

“The vaccine makers want a vet to administer vaccinations,” Hiney says. “Usually, they only guarantee vaccines administered by a vet and not purchased online or through a feed store.”

Adverse Reactions

Adverse reactions are an inherent risk of vaccination. Horses commonly experience local muscle swelling and soreness at the vaccination site. Transient, self-limiting clinical signs, which last only a short time and resolve without treatment, may include fever, lethargy, and lack of appetite.

Severe reactions at injection sites may require prolonged treatment and convalescence. Allergic-type reactions, such as hives, purpura hemorrhagica colic, or anaphylaxis can also occur and are particularly dangerous. Although unlikely to occur if proper procedure is followed, the potential for severe adverse reactions is one major reason why vaccines should be administered by a veterinarian.

“Some horses will react to the adjuvant, which is the ‘extra’ part that stimulates the horses’ general immune system,” Hiney says. “If that is the case, you may want to switch brands; it can make a difference.”

Metcalf advises horse owners who are concerned about adverse reactions to research the vaccine manufacturer, because the reactions can vary. However, he says usually less than 1% of horses have a severe reaction.

Administering multiple vaccines of both multiple antigens and adjuvants simultaneously may increase a horse’s risk of a reaction. When multiple products are needed, ask if your vet recommends staggering administration by three to four weeks between shots.

“If your horse has reactions, I would not give multiple [vaccines] at once,” Hiney says. “But many manufacturers now bundle vaccines together, sort of a ‘one and done.’”

If your horse has had a reaction in the past, you may need to avoid combo vaccines and stagger his shots.

“But then you have to worry about them developing a fever and other bad responses from having too many injections,” warns Metcalf. “Most companies mix vaccines with five, six or seven types all together to keep injection sites from getting sore. There are actually fewer problems with the mix of vaccines, which we use.”

Best Vaccination Practices

It’s important to develop a comprehensive vaccination program, but a one-size-fits-all version for all horses doesn’t exist.

“Talk to your vet,” Hiney stresses. “Remember biosecurity! Even if you take a vaccinated horse to a show and have others at home, you may be dragging pathogens back with you, so always think about good biosecurity protocols—don’t just rely on vaccines alone.”

This article about horse vaccinations appeared in the March 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Horse Vaccinations 101 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

One stable chore that should be done regularly is cleaning and disinfecting the containers from which a horse eats and drinks. Completing this task so your horse has clean feed equipment is more than a quick rinse under the water hydrant; it involves several critical steps and an understanding of what products to use for each step.

Sandra Norman, DVM, a veterinarian and the director of Companion Animal and Equine at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, offers advice on how often to clean buckets, feed tubs, water tanks, hay nets, and the like. “Cleaning and disinfecting procedures and frequency depend on the farm and activity,” says Norman. “Buckets, feed tubs, and other often-used items should be cleaned once or twice daily. Water tanks should be dumped at least once a week and more often in mosquito season, as that is a common place for mosquito larvae to develop. If equipment is used by multiple horses and owners, those items should be cleaned between horses.

“As feed is added to hay nets, new potential contamination is added,” continues Norman. “Rinsing hay nets between hay additions can help, especially if disease has been on the farm previously. Another common example of a biosecurity hazard is the end of the hose going from bucket to bucket of water—it can spread Streptococcus bacteria that cause strangles.”

Why Clean Horse Feed Equipment?

There are many reasons for taking the time to clean buckets, feed tubs, water tanks, hay nets, feed scoops and feed storage bins, etc. These include:

◆ Improved general horse health: Clean food and water containers promote healthy respiratory and digestive systems.
◆ Preventing the spread of diseases: Many diseases can spread through saliva, mucous from coughing and sneezing, nasal discharge, and drainage from abscesses. These bodily fluids can all rapidly spread diseases, such as strangles, equine influenza, and equine herpesvirus.
◆ Increasing water consumption: If a water bucket or tank has clean, fresh water in it, horses will drink better, which can decrease the risk of dehydration and colic episodes.
◆ Pest and mold control: Dirty feed tubs are also breeding grounds for mold and flies and an invitation for mice and rats to come calling.
◆ Asthetics and curb appeal: Things just look better if they are clean and neat, and that makes you feel better and presents your barn well to visitors and boarders.

Tools for the Chore

To get started with cleaning horse feed equipment, gather the following cleaning tools:

◆ Long rubber household cleaning gloves or nitrile gloves
◆ Safety glasses or goggles
◆ A bucket, clean plastic jug or wash tub of known capacity to mix cleaning and disinfecting solutions
◆ A measuring cup and measuring spoons to measure the correct amount of disinfectant for the mix
◆ Scrub brushes of various sizes and shapes
◆ Clean rags or towels
◆ A quart-sized spray bottle or water hose attachment for mixing and applying garden fertilizer
◆ Dish detergent
◆ A disinfectant (chosen with the help of a veterinarian)
◆ A deep sink or hose attached to a water source (having hot and cold water is a plus, but cold water will do)

Choose a place to do the washing and rinsing carefully since chlorine bleach and other disinfectants can kill grass and other plants. And, all of the water used in the process will make mud, which is no fun to walk through, much less push a wheelbarrow through. So, choose somewhere where the washing process and runoff won’t cause issues, such as a gravel driveway or parking area, a concrete slab, or an asphalt driveway or out-of-way barn aisle.

Keep in mind that many of the disinfectants will cause bleached spots or stains on clothing, and the entire process is like going to a water park—you are going to get wet! Consider wearing a pair of coveralls or a rain slicker or old clothes. And, boots or muckers are useful to keep your feet dry. Wear gloves and safety glasses to protect your skin and eyes.

The biggest decision is which disinfectant to use. According to Norman, that choice really depends on the organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, molds) you are trying to kill and the surfaces you are cleaning. She adds that some pathogens are more resistant than others, and that although chlorine bleach can be effective against many common disease organisms, it is not effective against certain ones, such as equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV 1, also known as equine rhinopneumonitis) and some others.

In the case of a disease outbreak, she says a state veterinarian would direct barn managers and horse owners on which products would be most effective against the specific organisms in each case.

For routine cleaning your local veterinarian should be able to advise you on what products to use, and in some cases, they may need to assist you with ordering those products. A list of resources is at the end of this article, as well.

Laurent L. Couëtil, DVM, Ph.D., head of Large Animal Internal Medicine and the director of Equine Research Programs at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, says that in their large animal hospital, they use a strict cleaning and disinfecting regimen in between each patient since they are a treatment facility and often deal with sick animals.

After removing all of the bedding, the staff there do a thorough stall cleaning, first with detergent and rinsing and then applying bleach and rinsing again. After that they apply another disinfectant called Virex (a quaternary ammonium compound) and let that sit for 15 minutes, after which they rinse again. Finally, they finish with rinsing the floor drains and then filling them with disinfectant.

Proper Disinfection

For a boarding stable and family farm purposes, Couëtil offers his advice for routine cleaning of horse feed equipment. “At home, the first step is to remove organic matter by hosing down and scrubbing surfaces with detergent. Bleach is an excellent all-around disinfectant against many viruses, bacteria and fungi, but it does not work well if there is organic matter present (e.g. manure). Therefore, deep cleaning with abundant water hosing to remove organic matter is essential. Remember: The solution to pollution is dilution.

Couëtil stresses that label directions should be followed. “It is also important to use proper bleach dilution (10% or 1.5 cups per gallon of water),” he says. “Using undiluted bleach is very irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract and does not work better than diluted bleach.

“There are many other disinfectants available commercially, but it is very important to read the label to use the appropriate dilution and to determine if it is appropriate for the barn (and kills most common infectious agents),” continues Couëtil. “Deviating from the recommended dilution may result in decreased effectiveness. In other words, more is not better. I would advise against homemade disinfectants. There are lots of affordable commercial products that have been tested, and if properly used, are not toxic for people or animals.”

It should be mentioned that although vinegar and baking soda are great for removing odors and “freshening” buckets and feed tubs, neither is particularly good at killing disease organisms. So, reserve these kitchen staples for odor-eating and using as safe, non-toxic scrubs. Vinegar is an effective lime scale remover if you are dealing with hard water marks.

Safety Note: Never mix cleaning products (dish detergent or ammonia) with disinfecting products, such as chlorine bleach or name-brand disinfectants, since combining the two can create toxic gases, which can kill you or damage your lungs.

A helpful list of disinfectants, noting what pathogens they are effective against, is available on the Equine Disease Communication Center’s website. And, an information-filled downloadable pdf called “Disinfection 101” is also available.

Cleaning vs. Disinfecting

Understanding that “cleaning” and “disinfecting” are actually two different steps in the process is key. Cleaning is using a detergent (a cleaner that “emulsifies” organic matter, such as horse manure, soil, bird droppings, mold, etc.) to make it easier to remove that dirt and grime from a surface. Disinfecting involves applying a chemical cleaner to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and/or molds.

Some surfaces are much easier to clean and disinfect than others. Non-porous materials like concrete, glass, metal and plastic are much easier to rid of dirt and germs effectively, while porous surfaces, such as wood are much more difficult to clean and disinfect.

Step-By-Step Cleaning and Disinfecting Process

1. Line up all supplies and tools, and think through the process of cleaning your horse feed equipment ahead of time.
2. Put on protective gear—gloves, safety glasses, overalls or old clothes, boots, etc.
3. If an item is excessively dirty or has caked on mud or manure, pre-rinse before washing with detergent.
4. Mix detergent and water in a bucket or large wash basin or in a clean plastic jug to make a cleaning solution. An empty water trough can also make a handy washing sink, and the water trough will end up clean, too. Either submerge the items to be washed in the wash basin or pour the detergent water into or over the item to be cleaned while spreading around the suds with a scrub brush. Make sure to have enough sudsy liquid in the bottom of the bucket or feed tub being washed to splash or brush the solution up the sides and around the rim.
5. Apply “elbow grease” with a scrub brush, going over all surfaces with sudsy water, and reapplying more wash liquid as needed until all interior and exterior surfaces have been scrubbed well.
6. Rinse with plain water.
7. Then examine the item to see if it is clean. Reapply detergent and scrub and rinse again, if needed, to remove any additional dirt and grime.
8. Mix the disinfectant (carefully chosen for the task) with water in the prescribed amount. Mix new disinfectant solution each time you clean, since it may lose effectiveness once mixed with water and after sitting for a time; review package directions for more information.
9. Apply disinfectant solution to the object with a sprayer or sponge, and allow it to sit for around 10–15 minutes, making sure the surface stays wet with the solution (check package instructions to see how long it needs to stay on a surface).
10. When all looks sparkly clean, rinse the object well inside and out with water again.
11. Air dry the cleaned object before stowing or reusing.
12. Hay nets can be laundered in a washing machine and then be line dried or hand washed with detergent, rinsed, soaked in a disinfectant solution, rinsed again and hung to dry.

More Barn Clean-Up Notes

Buckets, feed tubs, water troughs, feed scoops, wheelbarrows, feed carts, and barn tools are all made of non-porous materials. They can all be washed and disinfected using the above steps. Remember to apply a light coating of WD40, or similar product, to the metal parts of barn tools to prevent rust if they are going to be stored for a long period of time.

Wooden stall walls and dirt/clay/sand/gravel stall floors are examples of porous materials that are much harder to clean, because dirt and disease organisms can hide in the cracks and crevices. Porous surfaces require different strategies. Stall walls require hands-on scrubbing, sometimes repeated multiple times, lots of rinsing, and perhaps a different type of disinfectant.

Porous stall floors should be scraped of all organic matter, ag lime applied, and air dried using fans and open windows and doors. On warm, sunny days, it always helps to let air flow through and sunshine into stalls and barn aisles since pathogens often need dark, moist environments to grow. When cleaning stalls, don’t forget to pull the stall mats and clean and disinfect them on both sides and let them, and the floor underneath, air dry before replacing.

Barn towels, leg wraps, horse blankets and stable sheets, and other “horse laundry,” should be shaken or vacuumed, possibly pre-rinsed and stains pre-treated, laundered, and machine-dried or air-dried according to manufacturer’s directions, repaired as necessary, and finally stored in tack trunks or plastic storage bags/tubs until needed again. If your goal is to disinfect often-touched surfaces in barn aisles and tack rooms, don’t forget cross-ties, light switches, water hydrant handles, and door and drawer handles.

Grooming tools and supplies should also be cleaned. Brushes, curries and combs, as well as plastic spray bottles, can be scrubbed in dish detergent water, then rinsed and soaked in disinfectant for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed again, and air dried.

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