Learn how veterinarians are using recent research in their day-to-day practice to diagnose PPID, EMS, and ID.
Webcast | What To Do When Your Horse Has a Fever
Infographic | Optimizing Air Quality in Your Horse Barn
Infographic | How To Protect Your IBH Horse From Bugs
The Horse’s experts answer your questions during a monthly live audio event.
Join us as we interview leading equine researchers from the University of Kentucky
Horses for Sale and Adoption
Problem Solver Series: How to Control Nuisance Birds on Horse Properties
A filly goes to the trainer and ends up sick and with ulcers. Will they return when she goes back into training?
Posted by Frank M. Andrews, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM | Apr 20, 2015 | Article, Equine Herpesvirus (EHV), Feeding Foals and Young Horses, Feeding High-Performance Horses, Influenza, Ulcers
Q: My filly picked up a fever while at the trainer’s getting started under saddle (bloodwork indicated an infection, which my vet said probably caused by a virus). She then went off feed for nearly four days, so I brought her home to rest and recoup. While we didn’t scope her to verify the diagnosis, my vet suspected she had gastric ulcers after the combination of not eating and receiving Banamine paste (flunixin meglumine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID) for the fever. A course of GastroGard (prescription-strength omeprazole used to treat ulcers, rather than prevent them) helped—she started eating again almost immediately after the first dose. I’m now worried about sending her back into training. Is it likely she will suffer gastric ulcers again when put under the stress of moving to the barn and training? If so, is there any way to prevent ulcer onset?
A: Your veterinarian is right! The initial onset of fever and loss of appetite at the trainer’s barn was likely due to a viral infection, such as equine influenza (often called flu), equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), or equine rhinitis virus. These viruses usually cause a fever and variable cough, nasal discharge, and loss of appetite, but in some cases horses show very mild signs.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com. Start your free account today!
Frank M. Andrews, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, is LVMA Equine Committee professor and director of the Equine Health Studies Program at Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine. As an internal medicine specialist, Andrews research interests include equine gastric ulcer disease.
Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress
You need to be logged in to fill out this form