A horse is one of the most majestic animals in existence. You want to do everything you can to take proper care of your horses. Therefore, you will want to be aware of a virus known as equine infectious anemia. In this post, you will what EIAV is, the symptoms of this disease, and treatment options.

What is Equine Infectious Anemia?

Anemia is a condition that halts the production of red blood cells. These cells are vital for a body staying in healthy condition. Equine infectious anemia can sometimes be known as horse malaria. The main carrier of this virus is a horsefly. Less than half of a teaspoon of blood from a horse with an extreme case of this virus can spread to 10,000 other horses.

What are the Symptoms of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus?

This virus can sometimes be one that is hard to detect. Most horses that get this virus become carriers. However, the carriers often show no outwards signs of infection. The carriers will survive for a certain amount of time, albeit with a lower concentrated amount of this virus in their bloodstream. If a horse has become a carrier, there are certain symptoms to look out for. An equine infectious anemia virus expression may not always be apparent right away. If you unsure about the condition of your horses, veterinary diagnostics may need to be called upon.

Symptoms of this virus include weight loss, lethargy, fever, and swollen body parts. Horses with equine infectious anemia virus may also have a slower overall performance in athletic events. In certain cases, horses exposed to EIAV can sometimes develop rapid and severe symptoms. Unfortunately, extreme cases of this virus can cause death in two to three weeks.

Treatment Options for Horse with this Virus

Unfortunately, not all horse with this virus will be fully treatable. There are a few options to consider when dealing with this virus. It is important that an equine infectious anemia virus antibody test kit be administered. Veterinary diagnostics will be able to test to find out more information about each particular case.

In conclusion, equine infectious anemia is a virus that must be handled quickly. This virus commonly starts with an infected horsefly finding nearby horses. Many symptoms of this virus involve seeing a decreased overall performance in a horse. You will want to figure out which treatment option to undertake as soon as possible. Equine infectious anemia is a highly contagious disease. Veterinary diagnostics will help to ensure all traces of this virus are found.