Vets Recommend Vaccines After Increase In Equine Flu Cases

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture warns horse owners to take precautions after receiving an increase in equine flu cases.

Clay County Animal Hospital’s Dr. Dawn Lindsey said vaccinating horses twice a year can help prevent spreading the flu virus.

“Vaccination’s the only way, and ideally, horses should be vaccinated before the upcoming show season,” Lindsey said. “Ideally, every six months a horse should be vaccinated for influenza… Their first vaccine, if they’ve never been vaccinated before, should be at least four weeks before show season starts. Anytime a horse is going to co-mingle with other horses, they should be vaccinated for influenza at least four weeks in advance.”

The Department of Agriculture reports horses that tested positive with the virus had returned from out-of-state events.

Lindsey said horses that have the virus can show similar symptoms as humans with the flu.

“Equine influenza is an upper respiratory disease… that can cause nasal discharge [and] coughing,” Lindsey said. “Most importantly, in your sport horses, it can just put them out of competitions and out of working order, and if secondary pneumonia develops it can even be life-threatening.”

Lindsey said horses that have been vaccinated can still carry the virus from events and ultimately infect the herd.

“You are going to get a secondary bacterial infection, so we will see these snotty noses, high fevers. If you’re lucky, you’re only going to have the snotty noses, high fevers, and you’re going to have to do some antibiotics,” Lindsey said. “If you’re unlucky, these horses can progress and sometimes even get lameness because with horses, anytime they get sick, they have problems with their feet. Some horses can go on and get other infections due to their weakened immune system.”

The Department of Agriculture recommends horse owners not share equipment between horses to prevent spreading the virus.