A disease called EPM in horses is caused by a tiny parasite which affects the neurological systems. The parasite responsible for this is found in opossums. Horses generally come into contact with the parasite if their feed or water has been contaminated by opossum feces.
The symptoms of the disease vary. This is dependent upon the point of attack in the nervous system. The protozoa may leave the horse with lesions on its brain stem and spinal cord. The disease is most common during the fall and summer months, however fall seems to be the worst time. Symptoms are fairly slow in developing and may be present several days after infection.
It is not easy to make a diagnosis of EPM in horses as there are several neurological diseases with similar symptoms. The symptoms are not the same for each horse. The horse may suffer from weakness and muscle atrophy. It may also experience difficulty when it tries to swallow. The equine may suffer from pain in its back, weakness and a distinct lack in co-ordination.
If the horse it suffering from a mild form of EPM, it may appear to stumble and suffer from slight lameness. This requires immediate treatment as a delay could end in the horse being unable to swallow or stand. At this point, the severity of the disease puts the horse at risk of death. The horse may suffer from a head that is tilted and eyelids that become droopy. Any breed, age or sex of horse may be affected by the disease. Horses that are transported frequently and younger horses are more at risk of contracting the disease.
Since opossums carry the disease-causing organism, you should make the area as unattractive to them as possible to aid in preventing the disease. Opossums are known to not be very selective about what they eat. They will eat anything, from cat food to dead animals.
To prevent these animals from invading your property, you should make sure that all food stores are secured. If there are dead animal carcasses on your property, you should make sure that these are buried as soon after death as possible. Food that has been spilled should be cleaned up immediately. If your property is at risk of opossums and you suspect that they are around, you should attempt to trap them in a humane way and remove them accordingly. You can choose to fence your property with specially designed fencing to keep opossums out. This is a good option if they have become a nuisance to your other animals.
This disease is dangerous and if your equine has symptoms indicating possible infection, it should undergo a veterinary examination as soon as possible. An early diagnosis and adequate veterinary care will give the horse the opportunity to fully recover from the infection. However, the horse may suffer permanent damage due to the infection. The gait and normal movement of your horse will be the starting point of the vet's examination. Blood and spinal fluid tests should be done to eliminate diseases like the West Nile virus and viral encephalitis.
Treatment for EPM in horses often includes anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-protozoal drugs which will be administered by the veterinary surgeon. The treatment for this disease may take a long time and could become quite expensive. Unfortunately, it is often not successful.
The symptoms of the disease vary. This is dependent upon the point of attack in the nervous system. The protozoa may leave the horse with lesions on its brain stem and spinal cord. The disease is most common during the fall and summer months, however fall seems to be the worst time. Symptoms are fairly slow in developing and may be present several days after infection.
It is not easy to make a diagnosis of EPM in horses as there are several neurological diseases with similar symptoms. The symptoms are not the same for each horse. The horse may suffer from weakness and muscle atrophy. It may also experience difficulty when it tries to swallow. The equine may suffer from pain in its back, weakness and a distinct lack in co-ordination.
If the horse it suffering from a mild form of EPM, it may appear to stumble and suffer from slight lameness. This requires immediate treatment as a delay could end in the horse being unable to swallow or stand. At this point, the severity of the disease puts the horse at risk of death. The horse may suffer from a head that is tilted and eyelids that become droopy. Any breed, age or sex of horse may be affected by the disease. Horses that are transported frequently and younger horses are more at risk of contracting the disease.
Since opossums carry the disease-causing organism, you should make the area as unattractive to them as possible to aid in preventing the disease. Opossums are known to not be very selective about what they eat. They will eat anything, from cat food to dead animals.
To prevent these animals from invading your property, you should make sure that all food stores are secured. If there are dead animal carcasses on your property, you should make sure that these are buried as soon after death as possible. Food that has been spilled should be cleaned up immediately. If your property is at risk of opossums and you suspect that they are around, you should attempt to trap them in a humane way and remove them accordingly. You can choose to fence your property with specially designed fencing to keep opossums out. This is a good option if they have become a nuisance to your other animals.
This disease is dangerous and if your equine has symptoms indicating possible infection, it should undergo a veterinary examination as soon as possible. An early diagnosis and adequate veterinary care will give the horse the opportunity to fully recover from the infection. However, the horse may suffer permanent damage due to the infection. The gait and normal movement of your horse will be the starting point of the vet's examination. Blood and spinal fluid tests should be done to eliminate diseases like the West Nile virus and viral encephalitis.
Treatment for EPM in horses often includes anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-protozoal drugs which will be administered by the veterinary surgeon. The treatment for this disease may take a long time and could become quite expensive. Unfortunately, it is often not successful.
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