Equine infectious anemia is a virus that affects many equine animals throughout the world. You’ll find that this virus is commonly found in horses but can affect any form of equine. Certain tests have been started that aim to check animals for this dangerous virus before they enter a state. Unfortunately, cases of equine infectious anemia can begin later in an animal’s life. This virus is one that is often hard to detect which makes testing vital. Here is information about how to diagnose, test, and treat equine infectious anemia virus.
How the Virus is Transmitted
Equine infectious anemia is transmitted through the bites of certain insects. The animals most likely to catch equine infectious anemia are horses. After a bite has occurred, this virus goes to the blood leukocytes of a horse. In addition, this virus is known to be found in the plasma of infected equine. It’s understandable to wonder which insects carry equine infectious anemia. You’ll commonly find that horse, stable, and deer flies are the most likely carriers. It’s common for a horse to jump when bitten which could cause the fly to feed on another horse, transferring diseased blood to the next animal. However, only one out of 6 million horseflies will transmit the equine infectious anemia virus to another horse.
Diagnosing Equine Infectious Anemia
It may be difficult to expertly diagnose this virus without the right type of equipment. However, there are key symptoms to watch out for before contacting a veterinary laboratory. You’ll want to watch for any horses that develop fever, sudden weight loss, or odd behavior. If a group of horses is feverish and losing weight, a virus could be spreading throughout a group. A professional will administer a series of test to check for the equine infectious anemia virus antibody. Administering an equine infectious anemia virus antibody test kit ensures that the blood of an animal is closely monitored to detect the presence of EIAV. It’s important that an equine infectious anemia virus antibody test kit is stored at 35-44 degrees Fahrenheit.
What to do After Equine is Infected
Statistics show that it only takes one fifth of a teaspoon of blood from a feverishly EIAV infected horse to infect 10,000 additional horses. It’s best to take all infected animals and separate them from the rest of the herd. After an animal is exposed to equine infectious anemia virus they can develop strong cases of this disease and may die within two to three weeks. Separating infected horses from the rest of the pack helps to ensure deaths are reduced.
In summary, the equine infectious anemia virus affects many animals throughout the world. This virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of certain insects. Animals that have received this bite are often very contagious. If you’ve noticed that your equine are losing weight or acting strangely, the equine infectious anemia virus might be present. You’ll want to have a series of tests administered to your equine when suspecting a virus is infecting these animals. These tests will detect the presence of an equine infectious anemia virus antibody within an animal’s blood. Knowing about EIAV will help ensure everyone with equine can help ensure they remain safe.