Equine Encephalomyelitis
by Debora Johnson
Equine Encephalomelitis is an infectious viral disease that affects the brain of the horse. The mosquito vectors the disease from hosts: birds, reptiles and rodents. The Eastern strain is the most frequently found in the United States and has the highest mortality rate. There are two other known strains: Western and Venezuelan. This disease is also called sleeping sickness. The most prevalent time for infection is midsummer to frost. Horses can transmit the disease to one another through common food, water, and contact.
Symptoms
Generally, symptoms will start to appear after five days of infectious exposure.
- Fever
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Listless
- Self-mutilation
- Hyperexcitability
- Irritability
- Will not eat
- Will not drink
- Incoordination
- Head pressing
- Circling
- Paralysis
- Convulsions
- Coma
- Death
Treatment
Make the horse comfortable. The outcome is not usually good.
Prevention
- Mosquito control
- Annual Vaccination
For More Information:
Annual Horse Vaccines
New Equine Vaccine Information
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