Six outbreaks of CEM have occurred in the U.S. in the past 15 years, including a significant outbreak in 2008 to 2010 in which over 1,000 exposed horses in 48 states were required to be tested, resulting in 23 contaminated stallions and five infected mares ultimately identified and treated.

“Outbreaks in the U.S. have demonstrated the risk of incursions and the need for surveillance in the active breeding population to identify cases early and limit disease spread,” said guidelines co-author Dr. Abby Sage, Richmond staff veterinarian for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “Several of these outbreaks also demonstrated significant stallion-to-stallion spread of Taylor equigenitalis via fomites and inadequate biosecurity during semen collection and stallion handling.”

Dr. Sage and co-author Dr. Peter Timoney, the Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center, advise equine practitioners and stallion owners/managers to follow stringent biosecurity protocols when collecting and handling stallions and consider implementation of annual testing of active breeding stallions prior to breeding season as ongoing assurance of disease freedom.

CEM is an internationally reportable disease. When the carrier status of a stallion or infection of a mare is suspected, practitioners should contact their state and/or federal animal health official, who will provide current collection and response procedures for suspect cases.

The CEM Guidelines were reviewed and approved by the AAEP's Infectious Disease Committee and board of directors. View the guidelines or save them to your mobile device for future reference here.

Besides CEM, AAEP guidelines for 22 additional equine infectious diseases are available here.

Read more here.

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Laminitis is the painful separation of the lamellar layers of the hoof, which often results in profound lameness, prolonged and expensive supportive care, and possible euthanasia. Despite extensive research in this field, many of the underlying mechanisms associated with the development of laminitis remain unclear.

The abovementioned theory proposed that sepsis-related laminitis, such as that induced by carbohydrate overload and black walnut exposure, involves apoptosis of cells that bind the lamellar layers of the hoof. The integrity of those cells helps suspend the third coffin bone inside the hoof. Researchers suggested that apoptosis occurs early in the disease process, even before signs of lameness manifest. Specifically, they proposed that exaggerated inflammation occurring with the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream could serve as a source of free radicals, which are known to induce apoptosis.

To test their theory, the researchers used hoof samples from horses subjected to carbohydrate overload or exposed to black walnut extract. Both models induce lamellar inflammation and sepsis. “When the researchers counted inflammatory and apoptotic cells microscopically, no increase in apoptosis was observed during either the development phase of laminitis or at the time of lameness onset,” relayed Whitehouse.

Though disappointing, these results sent researchers back to the drawing board in search of other mechanisms that contribute to the development of laminitis.

Meanwhile, horse owners must continue to employ management and nutritional strategies that keep horses safe from the ravages of laminitis. “In addition to avoiding management triggers, ensure horses have adequate nutrients to support the well-being of all body systems, including the integumentary system, which includes skin, hair, and hooves,” explained Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a nutrition advisor for Kentucky Equine Research.

“To dodge potential nutrient shortages, all horses should receive a fortified feed suitable for their energy needs,” she said. This feed may come in the form of a traditional textured or pelleted concentrate or it may come as a balancer pellet, which is often useful for horses that can maintain their weight on forages alone.

Horses with compromised hooves may require additional support in the form of a high-quality hoof supplement. “A comprehensive hoof supplement provides more than just biotin to foster hoof growth and integrity. In addition to diet, routine management such as trimming or shoeing plays a vital role in maintaining and achieving hoof health that will also serve the horse well in the face of a laminitis episode,” Whitehouse explained.

Chronic inflammatory conditions, like laminitis, often respond to supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA. The omega-3s found in certain marine-derived products, like EO-3, are more available to horses than those found in plant-based sources.

^*Catunda, A.P.N., G.E.S. Alves, F.O.P. Leme, A.M. Carvalho, B.S. Leise, P.J. Johnson, and R.R. Faleiros. 2021. Apoptosis in epithelial cells and its correlation with leukocyte accumulation in lamellar tissue from horses subjected to experimental sepsis-associate

Reprinted courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research. Visit ker.com for the latest in equine nutrition and management, and subscribe to Equinews to receive these articles directly.

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EEE is a rare virus spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, not just for horses, but for humans as well. The virus can cause brain swelling and is often fatal. The New York Department of Health reported EEE as an “imminent threat to public health.”

Between two and five people die from EEE in the United States each year, report the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In 2019, 19 people died from EEE.

Aerial pesticide spraying is a temporary measure to combat EEE and residents should remain diligent in their efforts to reduce exposure to mosquitoes.

Read more at Syracuse.com

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Dr. Napawan Bunpapong and a research team from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok used molecular-based testing to help determine the disease's origin. They discovered that every blood and tissue sample taken from affected horses in Thailand contained the virus, and more specifically, contained unique amino acids, indicating a single, common origin. The researchers suggest that the virus may have come from an asymptomatic animal like a zebra.

The government of Thailand restricted movement and enforced quarantine, disinfection and vector control to try to staunch the spread of the disease. Mass vaccination was also completed in Thailand and neighboring countries.

Affected horses had a fever and swelling near their eyes; they became depressed and short of breath before dying suddenly within 48 hours.

Read more at HorseTalk.

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Ticks are equipped with powerful jaws, so removing them from a horse can be difficult. Though it can be tempting, don't crush or twist the tick when trying to get it off the horse. Although many people try, smothering the tick with baby oil or petroleum jelly or touching the tick with a lit match isn't the best strategy. It can potentially cause more harm if the tick regurgitates blood into the horse, increasing the risk of disease transmission. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, equine infectious anemia, piroplasmosis or equine granulocytic anaplasmosis.

Tick bites make horses itchy, but in large numbers they can cause more than just discomfort: they can cause enough blood loss to make the horse anemic. The best way to remove a tick is to use tweezers and grab the tick where it's attached to the skin. Using a steady force, pull the tick straight out and wash the area with an antiseptic solution.

Horse owners who are unsure what types of ticks thrive in their area should contact their local extension agent.

Read more at EquiMed.

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Anthrax infection often gives no warning, making it an especially deadly disease. Though cattle are most often affected by the disease, horses can also be infected with anthrax. Horses that work with cattle, in competition or on a working ranch may be more at risk of anthrax exposure, according to a recent report by Quarter Horse News. Horses that live in cattle-abundant states, like Texas, may also be at additional risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax can remain viable in the soil for years if left undisturbed.

Anthrax has its deadly effects by not allowing blood to clot. Horses infected with anthrax may have a high heart rate, show signs of colic, and go off their feed. Some horses will have swelling, stagger while moving, or have seizures. Horses generally die between two and four days after developing anthrax signs and are usually diagnosed post-mortem.

If handlers suspect anthrax is the cause of a horse's illness, animal health officials should be notified because humans can contract anthrax through inhaling spores or through cuts in the skin.

Anthrax outbreaks often take place in areas that have alkaline soils or those that are exposed to extreme weather events, like drought followed by flooding. Wet winter weather followed by a dry spring and then heavy rainfall are perfect conditions for anthrax to thrive. Pastures with poor drainage and lots of organic matter are particularly at risk.

There is an anthrax vaccination available, but horse owners should discuss their horse and management strategies with a veterinarian before administering the vaccine, as there are other ways to prevent anthrax outbreaks. Horses living in anthrax-prone areas could be fed off the ground if conditions seem ripe for an anthrax outbreak. If horses have traveled through mucky areas or through areas where cattle have been, washing them with soap and water may lower anthrax risk.

Read more at Quarter Horse News.

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Dr. Sabita Diana Stöckle notes that many human and veterinary surgeries conclude with a round of short-term (24-hour) antibiotic treatment to reduce the risk of disease. For colic surgery, however, it's common for antibiotics to be administered for well over 24 hours.

Stöckle and her colleagues used 67 horses that had undergone colic surgery to compare the standard five-day course of antibiotics to a single-shot dose. Thirty of the horses received a single shot of penicillin and gentamicin once before the surgery. Some horses also received an additional shot during surgery if needed. The other 37 horses received the standard, five-day antibiotic protocol.

The study team found no significant differences in post-operative adverse issues between the two groups; there was minimal difference in the amount of colitis, hemolytic anemia or surgical site infections. They suggest that the single antibiotic dose may be an effective alternative to the common, five-day protocol, if proper hygiene and close patient monitoring also occurs.

Read the article here.

Read more at HorseTalk.

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With the EHV-1 outbreak across the United States and Europe, many horse owners are considering insuring their horses. But would insurance cover a horse that may have been exposed to a contagious disease? Horse Network recently delved into that question.

Each insurance carrier has its own set of rules regarding insuring a horse during a contagious disease outbreak; some may have a heightened sense of awareness about where the horse is located and what it has been exposed to, while others proceed with business as usual.

Insurance agencies and carriers deal with viral disease outbreaks similarly to how they handle weather events: they cover exactly what they say they will cover for current customers – nothing changes. However, they may limit their risk by not accepting new clients in the storm's path.

Insuring a horse that has been imported from Europe, where the EHV outbreak is intensifying, may not be possible, so contacting an equine insurance company before the import is planned is imperative.

Read more at Horse Network.

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“EPM is widely considered the most important infectious neurologic disease of horses in North America,” said guidelines author Amy Johnson, DVM, DACVIM. “The variable clinical signs and widespread seroprevalence pose challenges to diagnosis. These guidelines aim to summarize essential information regarding this disease process, as well as highlight the three criteria for highest diagnostic accuracy in potentially affected horses.”

The EPM Guidelines, available as a PDF file, were reviewed and approved by the AAEP's Infectious Disease Committee and board of directors. View the EPM Guidelines here.

Besides EPM, AAEP guidelines for 20 other equine infectious diseases are available here. In addition, two foreign animal disease guidelines—for African horse sickness and Glanders—can be found here.

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Dr. James Williams of Novato, CA, reports that the only way a human could contract COVID-19 from a horse would be for an infected human to cough onto a horse's coat and then for another human to touch the horse (and the droplets), then touch his nose or mouth. This is the same way a non-infected human might contract COVID-19 from a countertop an infected person coughed on.

Thankfully, both scenarios seem highly unlikely: Most viruses are species specific. When horses are infected with the equine corona, they typically run a fever, have no appetite, are lethargic and have diarrhea. Rarely is their respiratory tract affected. Equine coronavirus typically lasts four to five days and recovery is generally uneventful. Supportive therapies may be used, including administering fluids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.

Equine coronavirus is spread between horses through the fecal-oral route: a horse must have direct contact with infected feces to contract the disease. Clinical signs typically begin between 48 and 72 hours after exposure; the horse will shed the virus in his feces three to four days after exposure. This may cause horse's feces to test negative for the disease in its early stages. The horse sheds the most amount of disease three to four days after clinic signs begin.

Infected horses generally shed the disease for about three weeks. Asymptomatic shedders can also spread the disease. How long the disease can last in the environment is not known, similar to human coronaviruses. Equine coronavirus is often seen in cold weather, though transmission in warmer months is possible.

Read more at EquiMed.

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