How serious is equine influenza?

Equine Influenza (EI) is a highly contagious though rarely fatal respiratory disease of horses, donkeys and mules and other equidae. The disease has been recorded throughout history, and when horses were the main draft animals, outbreaks of EI crippled the economy.

Furthermore, can horses die from equine influenza?

Yes, on rare occasions they can. However, the disease has a low mortality rate so it is unlikely that your horse would die from a flu infection. However, the virus can cause a form of pneumonia, which can prove fatal in foals or yearlings.

Similarly, what is the treatment for equine influenza? Horses should be rested 1 wk for every day of fever, with a minimum of 3 wk rest (to allow regeneration of the mucociliary apparatus). NSAIDs are recommended for horses with a fever >104°F (40°C). Antibiotics are indicated when fever persists beyond 3–4 days or when purulent nasal discharge or pneumonia is present.

Considering this, is equine flu dangerous?

Equine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can put horses out of work for weeks and potentially cause serious secondary infections. Learn how to protect your horse, and your plans, from this rapidly spreading disease.

How long does equine flu last?

Equine flu is an infectious disease which affects the upper respiratory tract of horses. There have been frequent outbreaks in the UK in recent years. Clinical signs usually appear within 1–5 days of exposure to the flu virus and they can last for 3–6 weeks.

How far can equine influenza spread?

The virus can travel up to 50 yards (150 feet) in the air so isolation of horses showing clinical signs is imperative.

Can equine flu pass to humans?

Equine flu, as equine influenza is commonly known, is caused by various strains of the influenza virus that affect the upper and lower respiratory tract of horses, donkeys and mules. The virus is similar to the flu virus that affects people, but is not identical, so horses cannot catch human influenza or vice versa.

What is the incubation period for equine influenza?

Other horses in the vicinity then inhale the virus and then become infected. The incubation period for equine 'flu' is typically only 48 hours and horses can remain infectious for approximately a week after the onset of clinical signs.

How do you test for equine influenza?

Definitive diagnosis can be determined by virus isolation, influenza A antigen detection (patient-side kit), or paired serum samples (hemagglutination inhibition). Nasopharyngeal swabs are obtained for virus isolation and antigen detection. These samples should be obtained soon after the onset of illness.

How can you prevent influenza?

Flu Prevention Tips

Influenza is the only respiratory virus preventable by vaccination.
Wash hands by washing with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
Cover Your Mouth and Nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Don't Touch Your Face with unwashed hands; it's the easiest way for germs to enter your body.

How is equine influenza transmitted?

Highly contagious, EI is spread by contact with infected animals, which in coughing excrete the virus. It can also be spread by mechanical transmission of the virus on clothing, equipment, brushes etc carried by people working with horses.

What are the symptoms of equine influenza?

Symptoms

A very high temperature of 39-41C (103-106F) which lasts for one to three days.
A frequent harsh, dry cough that can last for several weeks.
A clear, watery nasal discharge that may become thick and yellow or green.
Enlarged glands under the lower jaw.
Clear discharge from the eyes and redness around eyes.

Can vaccinated horses get equine flu?

Immunity following vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccines can be short-lived, allowing recently vaccinated horses to become infected and shed virus, thereby contributing to maintenance and spread of infection within the equine population.

Can equine flu be carried on clothing?

No. But they can transfer it from one horse to another, on their hands or their clothing. Mostly, you would expect the disease to spread from just coughing. Once exposed to the virus, a horse is likely to come down with the flu in about three days.

Can equine flu be passed to dogs?

Canine influenza H3N8 viruses originated in horses, spread to dogs, and can now spread between dogs. H3N8 equine influenza (horse flu) viruses have been known to exist in horses for more than 40 years. In 2004, cases of an unknown respiratory illness in dogs (initially greyhounds) were reported in the United States.

Why is equine flu so dangerous?

Symptoms. A horse with equine influenza has an abnormally high body temperature and nasal discharge, which is usually clear in color. Pneumonia is also a frequent secondary infection for horses with this condition, as their immune systems are compromised. This secondary infection can be deadly in foals.

How do you prevent equine influenza in horses?

Fresh air and rest are vital. Avoid dust in the environment, bedding and feed (particularly hay) to minimise the risk of bacterial infections of the lungs and airways. Affected horses should be confined, and walked for short periods to maintain circulation.

Do horses recover from equine flu?

Are there any long term consequences of equine influenza? Most horses recover within two weeks however in some horses a post-viral cough can persist for a much longer time and in some individuals it can take up to six months to regain full health.

Can you get sick from a horse?

Infectious Diseases You Can and Can't Catch from Your Horse The answer is yes, there is a very small risk that you could catch an illness from your horse. But the instances of a human actually being infected by a horse are rare.

What do you give a horse with a cold?

Treatment The wisdom of using rest and fluids in cases of the common cold also applies to horses. To encourage water consumption you might need to supplement the horse's food or offer an additional water source with salt (1-2 tbsp/day of loose table salt or a salt lick) or electrolytes.

What is Rhino flu in horses?

Rhinopneumonitis (“rhino”) in horses is roughly equivalent to the common cold in people---it is a highly contagious respiratory infection spread by virus that passes readily from horse to horse. An outbreak can spread quickly and easily through a herd.

Is the equine flu vaccine live?

Created using a genetic engineering technique called reserve genetics, the new live-attenuated equine vaccine is designed to replicate and generate an immune response in the nose, where the flu first enters a horse's body, but not in the lungs, where replication of the virus can cause disease.