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  Discussion on Contagious fever
Author Message
Member:
Sswiley

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 20, 2006 - 1:17 pm:

Trying to figure out what to do here. My mare came down with a 106 fever on Sunday, I have been buting her and today she is 101 without bute. The blood panel we took yesterday is not complete yet, my vet has been looking at some slides and we are still not sure. She has no discharge of any kind, no cough. We think it might be erlichiosis because she has been very stiff and sore. Assuming we cannot determine what it is, my question is this.
How long should I wait after her fever is gone before I can move another horse in the stall next to her. The horse that will be moved next to her will be on antibiotics from a foot surgery so I imagine she will be protected from bacterial illness. Right now she is at a friends barn but I dont want to impose on her if I dont have to and she might be leaving for the weekend.
I know with my daughter, they cannot go to school if they have a fever, is it as simple as that with horses?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 20, 2006 - 10:33 pm:

Flu, a virus, is a common cause of stiffness and high fever Shelly. How long to move depends on the eventual diagnosis but antibiotics are not protective against viruses. Fever alone is not an indicator of contagiousness, so we recommend a 21 day quarantine in undiagnosed fevers.
DrO
Member:
Sswiley

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 20, 2006 - 11:08 pm:

Wow, that stinks.
I guess it would behoove me to pursue the identification of this. . . illness.
I find it interesting that we have tougher standards for our horses than we do for our school children . . ! I suppose our kids are vaccinated against more illness.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 21, 2006 - 10:13 am:

It has always been amazing to me the panic caused by upper respiratory infections and flu in horses. In some cases getting national attention when it happens at a high dollar facility. When a child dies of complications of influenza it sometimes does not even make the local news but let a case of herpes encephalitis occur....

I blame both the equine media and to some degree my own profession for what I view as a warped since of heightened concern towards what are basically colds and flu's. Does it seem like we are preached to live in constant fear of equine related evils lurking around every corner when the reality that the number one problem most horses face is obesity and over supplementation?

I know 106 is a bit high and would worry me a little also but I have seen so many in this range that got better quickly with a bit of bute and rest that while keeping a careful eye out for complications, I would expect the best. You can find articles on Influenza and Ehrlichia for more on these conditions.
DrO
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