WildHorse Articles

Swamp Fever in Horses: A deadly desease mercifully rare

By: Sierra Lynch

Only One Test Detects This Deadly Disease. Yet Not One Horse Owner In 1000 Knows About It: We are talking about equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). This is more commonly known by the term "swamp fever."
The disease is also referred to as "equine AIDS" because the virus that causes it is closely related to the human HIV virus. That being the case, how can you tell if your horse has it? And do we humans need to be concerned about coming down with a deadly disease if one of our horses has swamp fever?

The short answer is no. It's true that Equine Infectious Anemia is viral disease. And it is transmitted by the blood of infected horses. However, humans cannot get the disease. But horses can. And when they do, it's not pretty.

EIA…Bad Stuff

EIA comes in three different flavors, but the most acute form of the disease will show up in the form of high fever, severe anemia, weakness, swelling of the lower abdomen and legs, weak pulse, irregular heartbeat,…you get the idea. There are a lot of horse diseases out there, but this one is bad stuff.

As a matter of fact, one of my veterinary manuals says "The mortality rate is high. Sudden death may be the first indication." Oh, and once a horse becomes infected, he's infected permanently. He either has to be put down or quarantined 200 yards from any other horse for life.

How Horses Get EIA

The blame for this awful disease can be laid directly at bloodsucking insects like the common horsefly.

Horseflies are big. Really big. And they bite really hard as they try to make a meal out of your horse's blood. Most horses won't stand for this painful bite. They'll shake their heads, flick their tales, and do pretty much whatever it force the horsefly to shove off.

So the unwilling horsefly reluctantly removes his proboscis out of your horse and takes his business elsewhere. And therein lies the problem.

The horsefly carries the EIA virus around to the other horses in the area. So his chow time may begin on one horse who is already infected. Then he may finish on one who isn't. That's how the horsefly transmits the EIA virus from one horse to another.

Thankfully, the disease is extremely rare in the United States and in other countries where animal health is taken seriously. However, that doesn't mean EIA is no big deal. It most assuredly is a big deal.

So big, in fact, that most states have laws on their books requiring documented proof that your horse is EIA-free before you can transport him across state lines. And almost every horse sale transaction requires the same proof.

The Test Your Horse Needs To Fail

So how can you prove your horse is not infected with EIA? Your vet will need to perform something called a Coggins Test.

The Coggins Test was developed in the early 1960's by a veterinarian named Leroy Coggins (image that!). The test basically detects the presence of certain antibodies in your horse's bloodstream. If they're within an acceptable level, your horse is fine. Otherwise, he is said to be "EIA-positive." Again, thankfully, very few American horses are.

A Coggins Test is quick, and relatively cheap. Any equine vet can do it. It's just a matter of drawing a blood sample and running a few chemical tests on it. Very simple.

Don't feel bad if you've never heard of a Coggins Test. Most horse owners haven't. But it is very important that you get your horse tested (and hope it comes back negative). And it's absolutely crucial to check for it if you're buying a horse.

I know I'd pay a little extra for the peace of mind knowing my next horse is EIA-free.

Yours For Better Horse Care,

Sierra Lynch makes it easy to keep your horse healthy and happy. With over 16 years experience riding and caring for horses, Sierra will make sure your horse is always ready to ride. Visit Sierra on the web at Horse IQ www.horseiq.com

FACT FILE

For exercise alone, a pen, run, corral or "dry lot" without forage can be much smaller than a pasture, and this is a common way that many horses are managed; kept in a barn with a turnout run, or in a dry lot with a shelter, feeding hay, allowing either no pasture access, or grazing for only a few hours per day. Outdoor turnout pens range greatly in size, but 12 feet by 20 to 30 feet is a bare minimum for a horse that does not get ridden daily. To gallop for short stretches, a horse needs a "run" of at least 50 to 100 feet. When kept in a dry lot, a barn or shelter is a must. If kept in a small pen, a horse needs to be worked regularly or turned out in a larger area for free exercise.