Jewel

Equine Anemia is caused by a virus transmitted through the blood, saliva, milk and body secretions. Transmission usually occurs through biting flies such as the horse-fly or the deer-fly. Symptoms include fever, weight loss, anemia, enlarged spleen and swelling in the lower chest, abdominal wall, penile sheath, scrotum and legs. A horse can be infected yet show no symptoms. Even though they show no symptoms they can still pass on the disease. Vaccines are availabel but once a horse is infected it must be quarantined at least 200 yards from other horses for life or euthanized. In the US, all horses testing positive must be reported to the federal government by the lab performing the tests.

grace

You mean the horse can not ever be around another horse? Is the horse still able to be rode or will it just have to be put to pasture for the rest of it's life?

Jewel

I have not seen any information indicating that the horse cannot be ridden as long as the are not showing any symptoms. Just like the HIV virus in a human, some horses can be infected with the virus and never show any symptoms. They still have to be quarantined to prevent the spread of the disease to other horses. So I would imagine riding them would be okay but you would not be able to ride with other horses. I'm not sure about this though.

alexis

I have only read a tad on this subject but you have informed me more than some other places I have researched this at. It is horrible to think about, but even animals can get illnesses just like us humans.