Hippotherapy
How does horse flu exactly affect horses?
In Australia / Vic / Melbourne there has been a horse flu scare. But what I would really like to know is what does the flu do to a horse. I understand that the horse develops a temperature. Yes I know horses cant talk so they can't tell us how they are feeling, but what do the experts say about how it affects the infected horse.
Public Comments
- All you might ever want to now about horse flu: Horse flu is especially serious to young horses and older horses because there immune systems are weaker than that of a horse in its prime. Horse fl is also very contagious thats why it can get so chaotic because you cant use the same brushes halter tack and you can't even where the same boots or gloves around a sick horse if you are going to come into contact with anothet horse because that will spread it more so you would have to dip your gloves, boots ect in anti bacterial stuff each time you change horses. Signs of the horse flu are extremely runny eyes with the yellow discharge. And temperature higher than normal of course, and yellow/ "green discharge from nose (and alot of it as well). Some horses may sweat as well excessively or not at all. Like with any other illness it will weaken the immmune system while infected and may lead to some respitory problems, even amonia! the best way to prevent the flu is to get your horses shots done regulaly and keeping everything in the barn clean, and keeping infected horses isolated on quarantine! there you go hpe that helped!
- Equine influenza is a major virus disease that causes flu like symptoms in horses and is from the group of viruses that causes flu in humans. This is a major viral disease present throughout Europe, North America and parts of Asia. Most horses exposed to the virus will show signs within a period of 1-5 days. Equine influenza appears similar to a range of other viral respiratory diseases. Viruses that are responsible for coughs and colds in Australia include Equine Herpesvirus, Equine Rhinovirus and Equine Adenovirus. Most of these viruses produce rather mild signs which include a discharge from the nose and coughing. Equine Influenza produces more severe symptoms with horses developing a fever and a dry hacking cough. Horses become ill and are reluctant to eat or drink for several days but usually recover in 2 to 3 weeks. The virus can be spread easily from horse to horse as a result of droplets and also from nasal discharge and from things like infected brushes and rugs. The disease is very contagious and there is almost 100% infection rate in a population that has been previously unexposed to the virus. Because it is a virus, there are no drugs that influence the outcome of the disease. However many horses develop secondary infections with bacteria which can lead to pneumonia and other problems. Good nursing care and if necessary, antibiotics to deal with bacterial illness associated with the disease are important parts of treatment. The most important part of dealing with this illness is effective vaccination. Reasonably effective vaccines are now available featuring the two most important types of this virus but horses need to be vaccinated 2-3 times per year to ensure their immune status. The most likely way that this disease could be introduced into Australia is through an imported horse and horse owners should be aware of this potential if there are any horses introduced onto farms or into stables. The most likely signs will be the rapid spread of a severe respiratory flu like disease which is more severe than the usual virus problems
