How Do You Diagnose Equine Respiratory Syndrome?
This condition is caused by a lethal virus called equine morbillivirus. First discovered in Australia in 1994, there’s evidence that acute equine respiratory syndrome (AERS) is zoonotic, meaning transmissible to humans. It’s the first morbillivirus to infect horses, resulting in death in 1 to 3 days. There are similarities between this disease and the human severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Pinpoint shallow breathing and extreme respiratory distress. The horse will be quite agitated and exhibit behaviors never seen before. He will also abruptly stop eating. Notify your veterinarian immediately. Check your horse for signs of lethargy and unusual nervous disorders. Run a check on all other horses in the same area as the horse exhibiting unusual behavior. Monitor the appearance of red foam around the horse’s nostrils. Examine the horse for swelling in the jaw, legs and sheath. Check the horse for a high fever, which may run as high as 41 degrees C. Notify the animal control offici
