07/11/2024
Going around… especially in az just a heads up💞
We are getting calls, emails, messages, texts, appointments, you name it and people are reaching out about their horses and the fact that their noses look like this and they are coughing and not eating well. Everyone wants the quick fix and the magic antibiotic that is going to make it all go away and there isn’t one. This is viral and while I do not know which virus it is because so far no one has wanted to pay for swabs and blood to determine, if possible, what virus half the horses if not more in the area have, it is still a virus and it is not susceptible to antibiotics.
These horses have high fevers and they are not eating well but still picking at their feed. Their noses are crusty and gross and they are coughing. God gave them an immune system just like He gave you one and it does not hurt them to allow it to work. The average horse does not need antibiotics, let their immune system work. Take their temperature at least twice a day. Make sure you are giving them palatable easy to consume and eat feed and not some thick stemmy alfalfa that takes 30 minutes to chew up one bite. If their fever is high, give some banamine paste or some bute to help them feel better so they will eat and move around more.
Now, while this is viral there are groups of horses that I think might benefit from a visit to the veterinarian to help with secondary bacterial infection due to their immune system being busy trying to overcome the virus. These are the horses that you should bring in and have checked and blood work run on and considered for antibiotics-
geriatric horses- if you have a 25+ old horse that is thin and it is now cold, they are going to need some help if they get too sick. If they are in good condition and still eating, let it run its course but if they are thin and stop eating, they need attention and you need to bring them to the vet.
young foals- if you have a young horse that stops eating and has a high temperature, they are probably going to need some help. They are like babies and their immune system is still growing and sometimes it needs some help. If your young horse has a high fever and stops eating, seek veterinary care.
pregnant mares- all the above applies to your pregnant mares. If they are still eating and handling things ok, let it run its course. If they go off feed and have a high fever, seek veterinary care.
performance horses that are currently performing- being an athlete is hard and these horses travel a lot and if you are hauling them all over, they are exposed to a lot more than the horse that stays home and chances are their immune system is a bit run down. High fever and no eating, seek veterinary care.
any horse that has stopped eating and has a high temperature- they might need some extra help.
I am personally not a fan of blanketing your horses and a horse with a fever is going to feel worse with a blanket on after it gets all wet and sweaty. If you have a stall to help them with added protection, great, if not just make sure they have food in front of them at all times to pick at as they make most of their heat from the digestive process. It seems to be taking about 10-14 days for horses to get over this so be patient and make sure you are taking their temperature, giving banamine when necessary and keeping palatable feed in front of them.
