Horse owners should take the risk of equine infectious anemia seriously, says a veterinary researcher.
“When a horse is infected, it is infected for life,” said Dr. Sara Higgins of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon.
Also known as swamp fever, it is a federally reportable disease.
The number of detected cases has risen in the past few years, especially in Western Canada. There is no vaccine or cure.
Animals that test positive are quarantined for life or killed to try and break the disease cycle.
The virus is spread by blood between animals, usually from mosquitoes and biting insects such as horse flies.
Horse flies are the main vector for disease transfer, but the disease can also be transmitted through contaminated needles or surgical instruments.
Some infected horses will become sick, but most horses never show symptoms.
The lack of specific symptoms makes blood screening critical to identify the disease.
Contact mary.macarthur@producer.com
