If you have an equid as a companion, in addition to being aware of the great responsibility that this entails as it requires much more food, space, exercise, etc. than any other more common pet, you will want to be well informed about all the diseases and problems that it can have.
The most important thing that we must remind you from our site is that you give importance to the need for veterinary visits and follow-up to ensure the good he alth of your speedy companion.
In this new article we are going to discuss equine infectious anemia (EIA). Read on to learn about the cause of this viral disease also known as swamp fever, its transmission, symptoms, and much more.
What is equine infectious anemia?
EIA or swamp fever is of viral origin and is chronic Specifically, it is caused by a lentivirus of the Rtroviridae family i that It only affects equids (horses, mules, donkeys, zebras…). This disease is present all over the world. Where this virus has been found most frequently is in the US and Canada, however there are some countries that are an exception and in which the virus has never been found and there have been no cases, such as Japan and Iceland.
It can occur acutely or chronically. In chronic cases, this disease quite disables the animal and it remains as a carrier of the virus forever. In contrast, when the acute form occurs, which tends to occur more commonly in horses that come into contact with the virus for the first time, the affected animals often recoverand remain as carriers, but in 30% of cases acute viremia develops fatally.
Transmission of equine infectious anemia
Equine infectious anemia is spread by contacting the blood of an infected equid with that of a he althy one. There are many ways that the blood of one animal comes into contact with that of another, but the most common way is through vectors, in this case the most common are horseflies and stable flies, which feed on an infected animal takes the virus with them and when they go to feed on another that is not sick, they inoculate the virus.
But, in fact, any sharp or sharp object that has contaminated blood can, by injuring a he althy one, spread the disease. In addition, there is the form of transmission from mother to offspring This can occur when the foal is still in the womb, or at the time of delivery or breastfeeding.
Much more contagion occurs in areas where there is high viremia, where horses have little space between them. As we have mentioned before, a horse or other equid that manages to survive an acute form of EIA or one that acquires it in a milder but directly chronic form remains a carrier of the virus forever, so it is important to keep it away from others of their kind or at least keep those we know to be positive for this disease together and at least 48m away from those who are he althy. Well, if there is a distance of at least 48 meters, horseflies prefer to bite the same animal several times instead of going to look for another.
Symptoms of equine infectious anemia
The incubation period for this disease is one week to 45 days There may be animals that are asymptomatic or unapparent, that is, who are sick but do not show any symptoms and are carriers without us realizing it. In cases where symptoms do occur, the most common symptoms, which may vary slightly depending on whether it is an acute or chronic case, are:
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Depression
- Inappetence
- Recurring fever
- Jaundice
- Tachypnea
- Tachycardia
- Anemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Bloody stool
- Rapid weight loss
- Leg Edema
- Petechiae on mucous membranes
In addition, we must remember that there are cases of acute EIA, where the sick equid can recover in a few days, but there are cases that develop severely and fatally.
Diagnosis of equine infectious anemia
It is important to know that equine infectious anemia is among the equine diseases that should be treated as differential, that is, when a equine has certain symptoms (weight loss, fever, edema, weakness, etc.), this is one of the diseases that must be ruled out, or confirmed according to the differential tests carried out by the specialist veterinarian.
Normally this disease is confirmed through serological tests carried out in the laboratory. In a suitable laboratory, our trusted veterinarian will be able to carry out the two serological tests most used to diagnose EIA:
- The agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID or Coggins).
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
Treatment of equine infectious anemia
There is no effective treatment against the virus that causes equine infectious anemia, for this reason, veterinariansusually recommend euthanasia of infected animals, to prevent transmission to other equids. This is why prevention becomes so important. Below we will talk about it and some measures that you can apply.
Prevention of equine infectious anemia
Equine infectious anemia is a disease for which there is no preventive vaccine, nor an optimal treatment that results in the cure of the problem.
Precisely because of the above, prevention of this disease is vital. The most effective steps we can take to prevent the contagion and spread of this incurable disease for equids are:
- First, we must regularly carry out the most basic form of prevention, which is to keep common areas and materials (both harnesses and surgical material or other tools) very clean and sterilized to avoid the virus. Proper cleaning and disinfection will also keep disease vectors away.
- Second, it is essential that our trusted specialist veterinarian do routine analyzes from time to time, it is recommended a couple of times a year, to all our equines. These analyzes must include the pertinent serological tests to rule out this disease.
- Third, if we are aware that we have a sick animal, we must keep it isolated from the others in the best way possible for others, but also for it. In addition, we must prevent new animals from entering that may already be sick.
- Finally, and unfortunately, many times the only form of prevention is the slaughter of sick animals. Not only can this measure be taken as a prevention indicated by the veterinarian, but in many cases it becomes euthanasia. This is possible since the animal may, at a certain point in the process, be suffering too much. But this factor will always be determined and carried out by a veterinarian specialized in equines.
