BY SUSAN KAUFFMANN
BUMMERS
SUMMER
FROM BITING INSECTS TO ALLERGIES TO LIGHT SENSITIVITY, GET READY
TO GUARD YOUR HORSE FROM DISCOMFORT OR DISEASE
Aſt er a long, dreary winter, most horse people
look forward to summer with great anticipation. Summer is prime horse time, and we want our equine companions to be
at their very best. Most horses have fewer health issues in the summer months, but this doesn’t mean you can take their
health for granted. In fact, there are a number of ailments associated with the insects, heat, sun and activities of summer, some of which can be quite serious. T erefore, if
you want your horse to remain hale and hearty throughout the summer season, you need to know what problems to look out for and what you can do to prevent them.
WHAT’S BUGGING YOUR HORSE: THE SERIOUS HEALTH THREATS
T e presence of insects is an inescapable and irritating part of life in the
summer, but bugs can be more than just an irritation to your horse. Explains Bob Wright, DVM, Veterinary Scientist, Equine and Alternative Livestock, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Aff airs (OMAFR ), “You’ve got to be aware of insects, especially mosquitoes, for their potential to spread serious diseases like West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalo- myelitis and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis. T at potential increases towards the end of summer and into the fall.” Because these diseases are potentially fatal, it is extremely important to be familiar with their clinical manifestations as well as what measures to take to help keep your horse from contracting them. West Nile Virus (WNV) causes serious and potentially fatal neu-
rological disease in horses. Mosquitoes bite infected birds and then spread the virus to other species. Although the number of equine cases has dropped off markedly, WNV continues to be a threat, with an equine mortality rate of about 30%. T ose at greatest risk are the young, the old and those with compromised immune systems. Neurological symptoms such as muscle twitching, incoor-
dination and muscle weakness are the most common clinical manifestations of WNV in horses. Additional signs may include fever, somnolence (sleepiness), inability to eat and drink, recumbency and seizures. If a horse survives a WNV infection, it is protected from
development of clinical disease for an extended period of time. Nonetheless, prevention remains the best option. T ere are several types of vaccine available, and most veterinarians recommend vaccinating, especially in areas where WNV is known to be present. Encephalomyelitis causes inf lammation of the
brain and spinal cord, usually as a result of an infec- tious agent. T ere are two variants of equine encepha- lomyelitis of concern in North America: Eastern (EEE) and Western (WEE), both of which are
continued page 56 54 | June 2013 •
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