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HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System » Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) and the Coggins Test »
  Discussion on Horse diagnosed with "swamp fever"
Author Message
Member:
gardener

Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2007 - 3:05 pm:

Hi there, Our pony club has agreed to let another club use our outdoor pony club grounds this year. We found out yesterday, that a horse that some of their riders was out riding with had to be euthanized due to "swamp fever". Therefore, some of the horses have been exposed to the now deceased horse. Are there any concerns that we should have about letting these horses use our grounds? Thanks.
Member:
gardener

Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2007 - 7:14 pm:

Also, I thought I should note that their club hopes to ride on Tuesday nights, and our club on Wednesday nights so there will be 24 hours between the different clubs being there? Is there any chance that our horses could get infected? The lady who rode her horse with the lady and her infected horse said that when they rode together it was cold, no bugs out. We are in Alberta, Canada.
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2007 - 8:08 pm:

Mary, I am not sure on the life expectancy of swamp fever bugs so I can't speak to the possibility of infection, but I can tell you how we as a pony club handle our club.
All club ponies have to have a negative coggins(swamp fever); all horses/ponies have to have their shots up to date(with proof).
The barn we ride at has the same policy, horses must be vaccinated two prior to entering barn grounds.
I understand that it can be difficult to ask for this, esp if it is a friend and someone says something about, its for the kids and do you know how expensive all that testing is....
Since the law requires all horses that test positive for Coggins to be put down it is to insist all member horses, including spares, have a negative test result.
Good luck
Member:
amara

Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2007 - 8:41 pm:

i also have no idea as to life expectancy of the "swamp fever bugs", but it would certainly seem like a sane idea for your pony club to want any horse coming in from that barn to have a very current negative coggins...one taken since that horse was put down... i think there is a qaurantine that goes into affect for an affected area? or is that only in some areas? something like where all horses in that barn are quarantined and have to have a negative coggins done to prove they are negative... something like 6 weeks? but of course, Dr. O would know all the specifics...

whether the other horses were required to get negative coggins after the other horse was euthanized, imagine the trauma and heartache-and perhaps lawsuits-if you did not insure this was done and something "fell thru"...tho i do believe there are some pretty strict standards for getting horses thru a swamp fever exposure...

i would agree wtih lori and no matter how expensive they may say the testing is, make sure every horse that comes on the property from that barn has a recent negative coggins.. stick to your guns..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2007 - 9:00 pm:

Hello Mary
The life cycle, transmission, and environmental persistence of the EIA virus are explained in the article and should answer most of your questions.

Without knowing lots of details we cannot assess the risk to the exposed horses. For instance horses do occasionally bite each other and the EIA virus may be transmitted that way I believe.
DrO
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