Equine Science

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Equine Science Technology

• Equine Diseases

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Equine Diseases

• Anthrax (Splenic Fever)
• Anthrax- an acute infectious disease affecting
  horses and other warm-blooded animals.
• Horses usually contract the disease by ingestion
  of the soil, vegetation, or water contaminated
  with bacterial spores.
• Identified by a microscopic examination of the
  blood, in which will be found Bacilli anthracis.

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Equine Diseases

• Anthrax (Splenic Fever)
• The first indication of the disease may be the
  presence of severe symptoms of colic, accompanied
  by high temperature, loss of appetite, muscular
  weakness, depression, etc.
• Disease can be prevented by immunization.

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Equine Diseases

• Diarrhea in Foals
• Diarrhea is one of the most common disorders in
  foals.
• Can be caused by mares first heat after
  foaling, dietary changes, parasites, and
  infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses.
• The symptoms and signs of foal diarrhea are
  depression, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.

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Equine Diseases

• Diarrhea in Foals
• In severe diarrhea, the foal may have fever and
  reddened mucous membranes.
• Diarrhea can most effectively be treated if
  discovered early.

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Equine Diseases

• Equine Influenza
• A highly contagious respiratory disease
  widespread throughout the world.
• Caused by a group of viruses.
• Outbreaks frequently appear where a number of
  horses are assembled.

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Equine Diseases

• Equine Influenza
• Virus itself is carried in contaminated water and
  on contaminated feed, bedding, buckets, brooms,
  clothing, etc.
• Treatment should be handled by the veterinarian
  and consists of isolation of affected animals.

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Equine Diseases

• Lyme Disease
• Spread by ticks.
• Most common symptoms in horses are shifting-leg
  lameness, fever, muscle aches and pains, limb
  swelling, eye inflammation, and abortion.
• Many horses may be exposed to the agent without
  developing clinical disease.

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Equine Diseases

• Lyme Disease
• Lyme disease is fairly simple to treat using
  Penicillin and tetracycline.

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Equine Diseases

• West Nile Virus
• Virus is spread and carried by mosquitoes.
• One of the newest diseases to affect horses in
  the U.S.
• There is no specific treatment for the disease
  treatment is based on presenting signs.
• A vaccine for West Nile Virus is available, but
  its effectiveness is unknown.

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Equine Diseases

• Rabies
• An acute infectious disease of horses and all
  other warm-blooded animals.
• Characterized by deranged consciousness and
  paralysis.
• Caused by a virus that is usually carried into a
  bite wound by infected saliva.
• Treatment is not advisable as infected animals
  eventually die.

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Equine Diseases

• Equine Infectious Anemia (Swamp Fever)
• A serious viral disease sometimes referred to as
  swamp fever, mountain fever, slow fever or
  malarial fever.
• Once infected virus remains in the blood for
  life.
• Virus is spread by biting insects, especially
  flies, but may also be spread by hypodermic
  needles.

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Equine Diseases

• Equine Infectious Anemia (Swamp Fever)
• Symptoms include high and intermittent fever,
  depression, stiffness and weakness, loss of
  weight, anemia, etc.
• Treatment has been unsuccessful because there is
  no method known to destroy the virus in the
  bloodstream.

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Equine Diseases

• Body Temperature
• Normally ranging from 100 to 102F.
• Body temperature is affected by stable or outside
  temperature, exercise, excitement, age, feed,
  etc.
• Temperature is measured by inserting the
  thermometer into the rectum.

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Equine Diseases

• Pulse Rate
• Indicates the rapidity of the heart action.
• Pulse is taken either at the margin of the jaw,
  at the inside of the elbow, or under the tail.
• Pulse rate can increase with exercise,
  excitement, digestion, and high outside
  temperatures.

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Equine Diseases

• Respiration Rate
• Determined by placing the hand on the flank, by
  observing the rise and fall of the flank, or, in
  the winter, by watching the breath condensate
  coming from the nostrils.
• Rapid breathing due to recent exercise,
  excitement, hot weather, or poorly ventilated
  buildings should not be confused with disease.
• In foals the normal respiratory rate may approach
  40 breaths per minute.

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Equine Diseases

• Immune reactions are characterized by the ability
  of the horse to resist and/or overcome disease
  through either (1) natural immunity or (2)
  acquired immunity.
• Natural Immunity
• First line of defense. However, it is
  nonspecific. The immune cells attack any
  bacteria they are not programmed for a specific
  organism.

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Equine Diseases

• Acquired Immunity
• Immunity that is specific for a certain organism.
• Can be either active or passive.

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Equine Diseases

• Acquired Immunity
• Active Immunity-immunity that results from the
  immune system being stimulated to produce
  antibodies.
• Active immunity is not developed until after one
  or two weeks, but is far more lasting.
• If animal is injected with antibodies produced by
  another individual, the immunity is referred to
  as passive immunity.

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Equine Diseases

• Acquired Immunity
• Young suckling mammals obtain passive immunity
  from the colostrum that they obtain from their
  mothers following birth.
• Passive immunity confers immunity upon injection,
  but the immunity disappears quickly, usually
  within three to six weeks.