Horses, like any other animal, suffer from various diseases. The appearance of infectious equine encephalomyelitis among the livestock poses a threat to all animals in the stable. Therefore, people working with horses should definitely know the signs of the disease and how to treat this severe viral infection. After all, timely diagnosis and treatment can save animals.
Description of infectious encephalomyelitis
This is an acute viral disease, manifested by disruption of the central nervous system (CNS), inflammation of the spinal cord and brain, and paresis of various organs.The disease is caused by an unclassified virus of various types that are oval, round or rod-shaped.
The size of the virus is 8-130 nm. It decomposes instantly when boiled, disinfectant solutions neutralize it in 10 minutes, sunlight destroys it in 4-8 hours. When frozen, it can be stored for up to 2 years.
The disease usually affects horses 2-12 years of age. The incubation period is from 2 weeks to 1.5 months. Infection occurs from sick animals; the disease is spread by mosquitoes, ticks, rodents, and forest birds. IEL can flare up in one area over several seasons. It develops more often in spring and summer and is observed on farms located in swampy areas, in floodplains and low-lying areas. Animals that are constantly kept in stalls get sick less often.
Symptoms and clinical signs
Once in the body, the virus causes inflammation of the cortex and subcortical layers of the brain, disrupting metabolic processes. The liver is especially affected.
The disease occurs in violent, quiet and latent forms. With the violent variety, the horse breaks from the leash, falls or lies on its side. Throws back his head and may injure himself. Reflexes weaken, then their complete absence is observed. Horses do not respond to pain (injections in the tail area). Animals become blind and experience urinary retention. The animals lie down, periodically making “swimming” movements with their legs. Then convulsions begin, the animal throws its head back, suffers from profuse sweating, falls into a coma and dies. The sclera of the eyes and tissues turn yellow, laboratory tests indicate a sharp increase in bilirubin in the blood and the ESR value.
In the early stages of infection, a slight increase in temperature is observed, then it subsides. In the silent form of IEL development, the animal stands with its head down, has an unsteady gait, has difficulty remaining on its feet, and often lies on its side. The animal closes its eyes and lowers its ears. Most often, he experiences alternating attacks of agitation and apathy.
The latent form is manifested by a decrease in appetite, the appearance of edema in the abdomen and head, a slight increase in temperature, and a jaundiced tint. In the absence of timely treatment, the disease takes a severe form. In the violent form of the disease, the mortality rate exceeds 80%, in the quiet form it is about 50%.
Diagnostic methods
When the first symptoms appear, you should consult a veterinarian. The diagnosis is made on the basis of laboratory tests. When diagnosing, rabies, Bornas disease, botulism, and Aujeszky's disease should be excluded.
Horse treatment methods
There is no antiviral drug. When the first signs of illness appear, the animal is isolated in an individual shaded pen with thick bedding. Glucose and saline, hexamine solution (10% concentration) are administered intravenously, and large volumes of specific serum are used. To treat animals use:
- hyperimmune serum;
- saline;
- cardiovascular drugs;
- antibiotics.
Antibiotics do not destroy the virus, but prevent the development of a secondary infection. To increase efficiency, the gastrointestinal tract is cleaned. They do cleansing enemas and give Glauber's salt. Animals are provided with the best living conditions. Horses that have recovered from the disease develop strong immunity to the disease.
Prevention
The main method of prevention is animal vaccination. To eliminate foci of infection, swamps are drained and grazing areas are treated with insecticides and repellents. During the period of greatest activity of mosquitoes and ticks, the herd is not driven out to pasture. The windows in the stables should be covered with nets.
A balanced diet and good living conditions serve to prevent equine infectious encephalomyelitis, reduce the likelihood of infection and alleviate the course of the disease.
If an infection is detected, a quarantine is introduced on the farm. Sick animals are isolated, pens, and tethers are treated with a “Belizna” solution, a 1% formaldehyde solution, and a 3% creolin solution. They clean the stables, the area around them, and the road to the watering hole. The removal of animals and feed from the farm is prohibited. The quarantine is lifted 40 days after the recovery or death of the last recorded sick animal.
