Researchers from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture conducted a study which found that over 75 percent of horses living in Pennsylvania have been exposed to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, both tick-borne illnesses, can cause fever and laminitis but may be hard to diagnose as additional symptoms often mimic other diseases.
The scientists used 271 horses in the state that were suspected to have a tick-borne infection. They found that 25.5 percent of the horses used in the study were exposed to Anaplasma, and 77.1 percent of horses showed that they had been exposed to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are prevalent in Pennsylvania.
Horse owners who suspect their horse may have a tick-borne disease should contact their veterinarian. The vet will often use laboratory tests in conjunction with clinical signs and horse health history to correctly diagnose the horse, as well as to determine treatment and prevention plans.
Read more at The Horse.
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