4 horse diseases to watch

Equine herpesvirus-1

The equine herpesvirus outbreak earlier this year caused a stir in the horse community and served as a reminder that horse health should always be at the top of your mind. While it is not always possible to prevent sickness in your horse, a familiarity with horse diseases and symptoms can promote early diagnosis, which can make a big difference in the life of your horse and its recovery.

Though the neurological strain of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) that circulated earlier this year is not very common, equine veterinarian Beth Davis at Kansas State University says owners and veterinarians might see it more often in the future.

"This is a virus that is out there," she says, "so I expect, based on what we have seen in the last several years, that we are intermittently going to have to deal with the virus and its consequences."

EHV-1 most commonly results in mild to moderate respiratory disease, abortion, or illness in young foals.

In some cases, horses develop an illness associated with a particular strain of EHV-1 known as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy. Horses infected with this strain experience a fever followed by neurological symptoms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says these symptoms may include nasal discharge, decreased coordination, urine dribbling, loss of tail tone, hind limb weakness, leaning against a wall or fence to maintain balance, lethargy, and inability to rise.

Because this virus is so contagious, veterinarians recommend isolating horses that are diagnosed or even just exposed. There is no vaccine yet that offers protection against the neurological strain of EHV-1, but certain vaccines may stimulate the immune system to reduce viral shedding from the respiratory tract in case of exposure.