There are a number of diseases that are most severe only in horses. And one of these serious illnesses is trypanosomiasis, or breeding disease. It is chronic and can kill an entire herd of animals in a short period of time. In the article we will consider information about the symptoms of this disease, the main pathogens and treatment methods.
What kind of disease is this
Did you know?This disease was first encountered in ancient Greece. The disease was described in more detail by scientists at the end of the 18th century. Durina appeared on the territory of post-Soviet countries in 1863, but only 60 years after that it was possible to isolate the virus and study it. IN current time cases of the disease are extremely rare and appear only in areas with a low level of veterinary development.
It is also possible that trypanosomes are transmitted to foals through the mother's nipple, and rarely - through improvised equipment, household items and medical instruments, for example, a speculum for examining the vagina, a urinary catheter, etc.
Important!The disease can affect an animal at any time of the year.
In the natural environment, only equids are infected, in particular horses, donkeys, and mules. Moreover, in the last two cases, the disease most often lasts for more than one year in a latent or chronic form, while in horses it is in a chronic or acute form.
Incubation period and symptoms
The incubation period for mating disease ranges from one to three months. In this case, clinical symptoms develop in a certain sequence, which can be divided into three main periods:
Important!The acute course of the disease occurs most often in horses of elite breeds. As a rule, 30–50% of infected individuals die.
Diagnostics
Since the disease is chronic, its symptoms can be detected at any time of the year. The disease can be diagnosed through various rapid tests, as well as laboratory tests.
The main methods for diagnosing durine are:
- analysis under a microscope;
- clinical experiences;
- serological diagnosis (RSD).
External signs such as sudden weight loss animal, swelling, sudden asymmetry of the lips or nostrils, drooping eyelids or ears, weakness of the rear, may indicate the manifestation of a breeding disease. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek medical help immediately.
Pathological changes
It should be noted that pathological changes are not typical for this disease, and it is impossible to correctly diagnose the disease based on the results of an autopsy of the animal. However, the corpses show general exhaustion of the body, degenerative changes in the heart muscle, liver, enlargement of the inguinal lymph nodes, swelling of the genitals, the presence of ulcers and nodules on the skin and mucous membranes, degeneration of the muscles of the lower back and posterior part of the body.
Regarding nervous system When a casual disease develops, it has been studied very little histologically.
Treatment
Unfortunately, treatment for trypanosomiasis is ineffective and in most cases is not carried out. Therapy is possible at the initial stages of development of the disease, but most often it is chronic and it is practically impossible to identify it in the early stages. Individuals who are included in the group of patients or suspected of having the disease are subject to treatment.
First of all, the animal is weighed to determine its body weight. The dose of medication required for therapy will depend on these parameters. Horses are injected intravenously with Naganin, diluted 10% in sodium chloride solution. Dosage - 0.01–0.015 mg per kilogram of body weight. After 30–40 days, the injections are repeated.
Important!To avoid complications during treatment in the form of swelling of the lips, soreness of the hooves, the day before the start and for 7-10 days after it, the animal is ridden until lightly sweating several times a day.
It is very important not to reduce the dose of the drug during therapy, since an insufficient dosage will not only have no effect positive effect, but will also create resistance in the pathogen to Naganin. In case of relapse, combination therapy is prescribed, which consists of using “Naganin”, “Novarsenol” at a dosage of 0.005 mg per kilogram of individual weight.
Animals that have undergone treatment should be under the supervision of a veterinarian for about one year. Such horses will be considered healthy only after undergoing three examinations using all popular methods 10–12 months after therapy.
Prevention
To date, no effective therapy has been developed to combat breeding disease, so the most reliable method is considered to be prevention of the disease, which includes the following measures:
- carrying out regular monitoring by a veterinarian of mares and stallions before the mating process. This examination is based on a serological blood test. At the same time, stallions undergo a similar examination three times a year;
- constant identification of infected individuals and their treatment;
- vaccination - stallions are vaccinated with “Naganin” during the breeding season, mares that collect sperm are given a monthly preventive medicine;
- castration of stallions unsuitable for insemination;
- keeping stallions older than one year, as well as castrated individuals, separately from mares;
- placing all new animals in quarantine for 30 days, with simultaneous serological diagnostics;
- slaughter of all individuals in the event of a suspicious test for trypanosomiasis in one horse from the group.
Incidental disease in horses, being a rarity in our country, can nevertheless develop rapidly on dysfunctional farms. It causes enormous damage to breeding farms and can cause the slaughter of the entire livestock. Timely identification of the pathogen and implementation of competent and effective preventive measures are of decisive importance in eliminating this disease.
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Sexually transmitted diseases occur not only in humans, but also in other mammals, including farm animals. Incidental horse disease is a problem that is often encountered in stud farms and farms. It causes a lot of inconvenience to equid patients and causes considerable damage to their owners, but with timely detection and compliance with preventive measures, it can be eliminated forever.
For the first time, horse breeding disease was discovered in the 70s of the 19th century, and veterinarians were unable to establish its exact cause for a long time. Possible factors included large number mating, poor quality diet, vitamin deficiency, obesity and colds. Only at the end of the century were scientists able to establish that the infection passes from one horse to another during mating or artificial insemination, and its causative agent is protozoan microorganisms.
For reference! In addition to horses, breeding disease occurs in donkeys, mules and laboratory rodents; dogs are extremely rarely affected by it, and other animals are not susceptible to infection.
Ways of contracting the disease
The causative agent of the causative disease enters the body of horses through the reproductive tract, but the routes of infection can be different:
- during natural mating, along with seminal fluid or vaginal discharge;
- during artificial insemination through dirty instruments, contaminated bandages and other means used during the procedure;
- during veterinary examinations of animals, if the doctor uses the same devices for all animals;
- foals can become infected by licking infected organs of mares or by suckling milk.
Outbreaks of the disease and the likelihood of infection do not depend on climate, nutrition or the way horses are kept - both stallions and mares of childbearing age are susceptible to infection, and least of all younger animals.
Important! If the disease has been detected in one horse from the herd, it is necessary to diagnose the remaining individuals - practice shows that with a large concentration of animals, an asymptomatic infection is present in 25% of individuals.
Video - How foals eat
Symptoms of the disease
The incubation period of the disease lasts a long time, about 3-4 weeks (sometimes it takes 2-3 months), and in 25% of cases the infection is asymptomatic. When symptoms appear, the clinical picture proceeds in three stages, each of which has its own characteristics.
Table No. 1. Stages of the clinical course of breeding disease.
| Disease stage | Symptoms and features |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 (swelling period) | The main manifestation is swelling of the reproductive organs and lower abdomen in mares and stallions. Their size may vary, but to the touch the affected tissues have a normal temperature and are painless. A gynecological examination of mares reveals nodes and ulcers on the mucous membranes, which leave behind depigmented areas. Discharge from the genital tract becomes thin or yellowish-bloody. The general condition of infected individuals does not deteriorate - slight episodic fever is possible |
| Stage 2 (skin manifestations) | The clinical signs of the first stage include manifestations of the skin and nervous system. So-called thaler plaques appear on the skin - specific signs diseases. These are oval formations that suddenly appear and disappear over the course of several hours (less often than a day). The skin at the site of the lesion becomes hypersensitive, and when touched, the horse begins to worry |
| Stage 3 (period of paralysis) | At the last stage, deterioration occurs general condition sick animals, loss of appetite, paralysis and paresis of the lips, ears, eyelids, large muscles. There is weakness in the hindquarters and emaciation of horses |
The course of the disease in three stages with characteristic signs is considered classic, but some horses may have only 1-2 symptoms characteristic of different stages. Quite often it occurs chronically, over 1-2 years, and the acute course is observed mainly in thoroughbred horses kept in stables.
Thaler plaques are a characteristic manifestation of breeding disease
Attention! Incidental disease occurs mainly in the countries of Young America, Asia and Africa. In Russia, Ukraine and Belarus it has not been registered for a long time, but the risk of importing it from abroad remains.
Video - Hematoma in a horse
How dangerous is breeding disease?
Incidental disease almost 100% leads to spontaneous abortions of pregnant mares and a decrease in their ability to reproduce offspring. At the third stage of the disease, many individuals experience paralysis of the rear part, as a result of which the animals stop standing up and after some time die from exhaustion.
In economic terms, breeding disease causes considerable losses to farms, especially breeding ones. They are associated with the costs of treating infected individuals and preventive measures against the spread of infection. In addition, if trypanosomes are detected in horses, sanitary authorities impose a ban on the mating process for a long period - up to a year or more.
Diagnosis of the disease
Diagnosis of suspected breeding disease is based on the following measures:
- clinical tests;
- serological studies;
- microscopic diagnostics.
In blood tests, trypanosomes are usually detected in very small quantities or not at all. In sick individuals, there is a decrease in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin, an increase in the level of leukocytes, a shift in the blood count to the left, and an increased ESR.
The main diagnostic method for identifying pathogens is scrapings from the reproductive organs, which are examined using the serological method. The diagnosis of “casual disease” is made to horses in the following cases:
- pathogens of the disease were found in the biological material, and specific manifestations were observed in horses - thaler plaques, edema, paresis, etc.;
- When conducting a serological test, a positive result was obtained once or a doubtful result was obtained twice.
Depending on the test results and the course of the disease, horses are divided into three groups - sick, suspicious and healthy. Individuals that fall into the first two categories are removed from mating and treated.
The main diagnostic method is serological analysis of biomaterial
Important! Despite the characteristic signs, it is quite difficult to diagnose a breeding disease, as well as to differentiate it from a disease called su-auru - it is also caused by trypanosomes, but of a different type. To exclude errors in diagnosis, horses with suspicious symptoms are sent for examination several times with a break of a month.
Treatment
The main drug used in the treatment of breeding disease is Naganin, which acts directly on the causative microorganisms. It is produced in powder form - before administration, it is necessary to calculate the dosage for each horse based on its weight (0.01-0.15 per 1 kg) and dissolve the drug in saline solution.
Step-by-step instructions for preparing Naganin solution
Step 1.
Using a beaker or a special flask with marks, measure the required volume of saline solution.
Step 2.
Pour the solution into a container and boil it on a primus stove or heat it in another way.
Step 3.
Pour the required amount of Naganin powder into the liquid. To avoid increasing the volume of liquid, it is better to do this in two steps. Make a mark on the container for the level of the solution, then pour some of it into a sterile container, pour out the powder, and after it is completely dissolved, add saline to the previously made mark.
Step 4.
The drug dissolves slowly, remains on the surface for a long time and sticks to the walls. If there is sediment in the finished solution, it must be filtered and sterilized with flowing steam.
Step 5.
Inject the prepared solution into horses intravenously, strictly observing sanitary and hygienic rules.
Naganin is a long-acting drug, so one infusion is enough for treatment - the next one is given 30-40 days later. The procedure may cause side effects such as tissue swelling and hoof pain. To prevent them, you need to give the horses a short walk or ride 2 days before the start of therapy (until light sweating appears). If you do not have the necessary skills, it is better to entrust the administration of the drug to a specialist - if it is treated incorrectly, unpleasant consequences may occur.
In modern veterinary practice, Naganin is often replaced with new agents to combat trypanosomes - sovarsen, fuadin, antimozan. It is strictly not recommended to change the treatment regimen or specific medications on your own - this should be done by a specialist.
Individuals who have been treated must be under veterinary supervision for a year. They are considered healthy only if, after three tests, there are no signs of the disease. In a dysfunctional farm, it is necessary to regroup and keep an accurate record of the breeding individuals that are mating.
In case of a repeated outbreak, novarsenol or antimony is added to specific drugs according to a certain scheme. Horses receiving specific treatment for breeding disease require high-quality nutrition and, in some cases, symptomatic therapy (cardiac medications and other medications).
Important! Reduce the dosage of Naganin in order to reduce the likelihood of developing side effects absolutely not recommended. The causative agents of the disease may develop resistance to the active substance, and it will be much more difficult to fight them.
Disease Prevention
Treatment of breeding disease is a long and costly process, so it is better to prevent infection of horses in advance. To do this, the following activities are necessary:
- veterinary control of breeding animals before mating (untested animals should not be allowed to participate in the process);
- equip farms with horses from trusted suppliers who can provide all the necessary documents and certificates;
- all recently received animals should be quarantined (at least 30 days) and examined for the presence of trypanosomes in the body;
- for prevention, give horses Naganin infusions - once before the breeding season, and then again after 11.5 months (if mating is still in progress);
- it is necessary to inject Naganin into dummy mares - those used to collect seminal fluid;
- if the semen of stallions is collected artificially, appropriate devices (artificial vagina, etc.) must be assigned to each producer;
- observe hygienic and aseptic rules when collecting seminal fluid, artificial insemination and gynecological examination of animals.
If one or more animals from a new batch are found to have causative agents of breeding disease after a serological test, or if questionable results are obtained, it is better to send the entire batch to slaughter. Horse meat can be processed into cooked semi-finished products, and hides can be used for production or sale without restrictions.
Incidental disease can become a serious problem for breeding farms and cause them serious economic damage. To prevent such problems, it is necessary to take seriously the rules for preventing the disease, and most importantly, to prevent healthy animals from mating with suspicious individuals.
Saddle or mating disease is one of the many dangerous diseases of horses. From time to time, the notorious underdog takes a heavy toll through death, infertility, or irreparable damage to the nervous system. In the initial stage, sagging is curable, although horses are difficult to tolerate some medicines. The previously widely used drug Naganin was especially difficult for the horse’s body, but now there are many new, less “heavy” drugs. At the same time, according to Veterinary legislation, horses that are found to have a saddle are subject to destruction...
And the blame for the development of outbreaks was purely human. Although the veterinary service of the farm monitors the health of its herd, how will some groom take a liking to an untested stallion in a neighboring village and want to get foals from that handsome man, or vice versa - for mating with a thoroughbred trotter, a domestic infected mare will be brought to the factory stable from the nearest village at night ...And then the revelry of the squat begins...
Hatch disease or saddle is a chronic contagious disease that is caused by Trypanosoma eguiperdum, and it affects not only the genital organs of horses, but also their nervous system. Trypanosome, the causative agent of the squat, has a body length of 22 - 28 microns, and a width of 1.4 - 2.6 microns. In the body, it is localized in the capillaries of the mucous membrane of the genital organs. This pathogen is very specialized and affects only single-hoofed animals and is absolutely safe for all others. Trypanosomes cannot be cultivated on nutrient media either. Its reproduction cycle is typical for trypanosomes.
Healthy animals become infected from sick animals during mating; infection is also possible during artificial insemination with sperm containing the pathogen, as well as through care items. It has been noticed that when kept in herds aboriginal horses The disease is often asymptomatic, and sometimes only a few clinical signs appear. In outbred horses, the disease goes almost unnoticed. But purebred horses get seriously ill, especially in stable conditions.
Feeding and housing conditions, the nature of the horse’s use are of great importance in the development of the disease process. The virulence of the pathogen is also important.
Infection occurs during mating, and trypanosomes immediately begin to multiply in the mucous membrane of the genitourinary organs, causing inflammation. From here they then penetrate into the blood and further into the tissues and internal organs. During their metabolism, trypanosomes release trypanotoxins, which destroy red blood cells and the walls of blood vessels. The further effect of toxins manifests itself in the form of degenerative and inflammatory processes in the internal organs and nervous system. Damage to cells of the nervous system leads to paresis and paralysis of the lumbar region and nerve endings of the head.
The horse's body, in response to the penetration of trypanosomes into it, produces special antibodies - trypanolysins, which cause lysis of trypanosomes. Phagocytes also take part in the fight against trypanosomes, capturing them and digesting them within themselves. After recovery from the disease, animals develop short-term immunity, so the goal of chemotherapy is to achieve complete sterilization of the sick animal’s body from trypanosomes.
The disease occurs in a horse after the completion of an incubation period of 2 - 3 months. The first symptoms of underseat first appear in connection with damage to the genital organs of horses: in stallions, swelling of the scrotum, penis and prepuce is observed, and in mares - swelling of the udder, lower abdominal wall and labia. Swelling varies in size and feels cold, doughy, and painless to the touch. Nodules often appear on the skin and mucous membrane of the genitourinary organs, which then turn into ulcers. When the latter heal, white spots remain in their place (depigmentation of the mucous membrane occurs). A mucous, colorless or yellowish-bloody discharge is discharged from the vagina, which can last about a month. At the same time, the general condition of the horses remains normal.
At the second stage of the disease, skin damage occurs. A rash in the form of urticaria sometimes appears on the body of a sick animal, and round or ring-shaped swellings of the skin, so-called thaler plaques, ranging in size from 4 to 20 cm are formed in the croup area, on the sides of the chest and abdomen. They are most clearly visible in purebred animals. In this case, both their sudden appearance and the same disappearance are characteristic. The determining influence on the formation of plaques is exerted by trypanotoxins, which cause serous inflammation of the papillary layer of the skin. By the end of this period, the animals noticeably lose weight, pregnant mares usually abort, and there is an increase in skin sensitivity in the back, lumbar region, sciatic and other nerves.
At the final third stage of the disease, paresis and paralysis of individual motor nerves develop. Unilateral paresis of the facial nerve is very typical, as a result of which the ear droops, the eyelid droops, and the lips become distorted. When the lumbar region is affected, the gait first becomes uncertain, then atrophy of the muscles of the croup and hind limbs develops, which leads to increasing weakness of the rear. At the same time, the horse begins to limp and during the reining it seems to squat - hence its name “squat”. In addition, conjunctivitis, clouding of the cornea, swelling of the joints, catarrh of the respiratory tract may be observed, emaciation progresses, paralysis occurs, and the animal dies.
In the blood of sick animals, the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin content sharply decrease, ESR is accelerated, and leukocytosis is observed. The duration of the illness is one year or more, while good conditions housing and feeding contribute to the animal’s recovery.
To treat mating disease, Naganin is used in a dose of 0.01 - 0.015 gkg in a 10% dilution in saline solution, intravenously. After 30 - 40 days, the administration of the drug is repeated. To prevent complications, horses are prescribed dressage until a light sweat (up to 3 times a day) 1 - 2 days before treatment and up to 7 - 10 days after the administration of the medicine. Good result gives a double administration of azidine at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg in the form of a 7% solution in a 5% glucose solution, intramuscularly, every other day, so that there is no swelling at the injection site.
In addition to specific treatment, patients are also prescribed symptomatic (cardiac) medications and improved housing and feeding. And prevention on the farm for single sick people comes down to their destruction as a source of invasion. If this is not economically feasible, sick and all other horses are treated with Naganin in therapeutic doses in order to quickly improve the health of the horse population.
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Incidental disease(syn. fool) - trypanosomiasis from horses is a chronic, often asymptomatic course, characterized by abortions, swelling of the udder, prepuce, scrotum, skin, paresis of the facial and sacral nerves, exhaustion of animals.
Pathogenesis and immunity. First, trypanosomes multiply in the mucous membranes of the genital organs, which causes catarrhal inflammation. Over time, pathogens penetrate into the blood, and through it into the internal organs. During their life, trypanosomes secrete trypanotoxin, which stimulates the development of allergies, as well as changes in the nervous system, which leads to paresis and paralysis.
Immunity has not been studied enough.
Symptoms of the disease. The incubation period lasts from 3-4 weeks to 2-3 months. The course of the infection is predominantly chronic; in thoroughbred horses it can be acute. Clinical manifestation Diseases can be divided into 3 periods.
IN first period body temperature is subfebrile. Swelling of the prepuce, scrotum, penis in stallions, udder, lower abdomen and vulva in mares develops. After exercise the swelling disappears. Nodules and ulcers appear on the skin and mucous membranes of the genital organs, and after they heal, white spots appear. The vaginal mucosa is hyperemic, swollen, covered with nodules and ulcers. It produces yellowish-bloody mucus.
In second period note emaciation, despite preserved appetite. Mares abort after 1.5 - 2 months. after the onset of the disease. Swelling of a round or oval shape (thaler plaques) appears on the skin, which suddenly appears and quickly disappears. Skin sensitivity increases.
IN third period paresis and paralysis of the facial or trigeminal, as well as lumbosacral nerves are observed. With unilateral damage to the facial nerve, the lip, ear, and eyelid of the affected side sag. With paresis of the nerves of the lumbar region, weakness of the pelvic part of the body develops, the animal limps on both limbs and squats. After exercise, these symptoms disappear. Nervous disorders progress, the horse lies or sits like a dog, becomes exhausted, and bedsores develop. The animal dies from exhaustion or sepsis.
Pathological changes. The corpses are emaciated, the mucous membranes are anemic. Swelling, nodules, ulcers, and non-pigmented areas are visible on the skin and mucous membranes of the genital organs. The inguinal lymph nodes are enlarged. The muscles of the lower back and back of the body are degenerated.
Diagnostics. When making a diagnosis of breeding disease, clinical signs, epizootological data, and pathological changes are taken into account. The final diagnosis is confirmed by the identification of trypanosomes in scrapings from the mucous membrane of the vagina of mares and the urethra of stallions or in the punctate tissue fluid from thaler plaques. The resulting material is examined using the crushed drop method or thin smears are prepared and painted using the Romanovsky method.
Among the serological methods, RSK, RDSC, RIF, ELISA are used.
Incidental disease should be differentiated from babesiosis based on the results of laboratory tests.
Treatment. Sick horses are treated with Naganin at a dose of 10–15 mg/kg intravenously in the form of a 10% aqueous solution. After 1 - 1.5 months. the treatment is repeated. New arsenobenzene (neoarsphenamine) is also recommended at a dose of 40 - 45 mg/kg in a 10% aqueous solution intravenously. Lomidine (pentamidine) is administered intravenously at a dose of 6 mg/kg in a 4% aqueous solution.
Prevention and control measures. Horses and other single-hoofed animals coming from countries unfavorable with respect to breeding disease are subject to quarantine and thorough examination (always by laboratory methods) in order to exclude the disease. If sick animals are detected on the farm, measures are taken to combat the breeding disease of equids in accordance with the instructions.
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The disease horse breeding disease has a number of other names: “breeding sickness”, “weakness of the hindquarters”.
Causes of the disease
Despite this, scientists for a long time were unable to find out the causes and essence of the disease. For example, in a brochure dated 1869, all assumptions and understandings regarding the etiology of this disease were formed. Here are the reasons given at that time:
- a huge number of queens during the period under stallion and a large number of matings;
- excessive fatness, both stallion and horse;
- feeding of poor quality feed and malnutrition;
- repeated bloodletting;
- insufficient amount of movement;
- colds both during mating and in general.
But not all doctors could guess the true cause of the disease - breeding disease in horses - infection of each other. The pathogen itself was discovered only in 1894, its name Triponasoma eguiperdum, translated means tryponasoma that spoils the horse. The disease makes itself felt at the very beginning by local inflammatory processes, which subsequently lead to the formation of skin lesions, paresis and paralysis of individual parts of the body. Such complications occurred as a result of inflammatory processes - polyneuritis.
The causative agent of the causative disease and epizootology
Trypanosoma equiperdum is not a pathogen for everyone, but only for donkeys, horses and of course their hybrids. Any other agricultural inhabitants are not sensitive to trypanosoma. Infection in artificial conditions occurred, but not always.
In the natural world, there are several causes of infection between horses:
- When mating a sick animal and a healthy one. The maximum danger with this option is provided by horses with unclear clinical symptoms, whose disease is hidden or the animal is in the incubation period.
- A mechanical route of infection also exists, for example, through contaminated bandages, at artificial insemination stations, the use of the same tissue to clean the genitals of mares, or during examination of the genital tract.
In the natural environment, as was said earlier, only horses, donkeys and mules are infected, and in the latter two the disease lasts for years and most likely occurs in a chronic or latent form, while in horses it is more in a chronic form (up to 2 years), an acute form The disease is more typical for high-blooded horses and most likely for stallions that live in stables. Foals get sick less often and are infected mainly through mother's milk.
When there are herd conditions, 25% of the total number of horses suffer the disease asymptomatically; in some, the disease manifests itself by the presence of one not clearly expressed symptom. In most cases, the presence of the disease is determined only by laboratory tests of the horse.
Casual horse disease causes a big blow to breeding farms, because when it is detected, a ban is placed on the mating process for quite a long time (up to 1 year or more).
Breeding farms are known to have large numbers of victims of breeding disease Occurrence and symptoms of the disease
The causative agent of breeding disease in horses, getting on the mucous membrane of the genital canal in stallions or the vagina in mares, multiplying, causes an inflammatory process in the local environment. In small quantities, trypanosoma enters the blood and other organs with some frequency, thereby creating a general intoxication of the body. Most often, trypanosis is found in the capillaries of the mucous membrane of the genitourinary system, where they can be detected most often. Sick stallions also have it in their sperm.
Trypanosoma, living in the horse’s body, releases toxic products of its vital activity - trypanotoxins. They have a tremendous effect on the nervous system, and as a result - a list of various symptoms: skin rashes, “thaler plaques”, paralysis of certain parts of the body. Additionally, the metabolic process is sharply disrupted, chills begin, the blood formula changes, and most mares experience abortion. Incidental horse disease should be regarded as a typical nervous disease.
Characteristic is the fact that in the case when there is no appropriate treatment for the disease, its symptoms develop in a certain order. The incubation period in most takes 2-3 months.
As for the clinically expressed stage of the disease, it can be divided into three periods:
1. Period of edema. It is characterized by symptoms affecting the genital organs: swelling of the prepuce, scrotum and penis in males, swelling of the vimen, abdomen and genitals in mares. In this case, the swelling varies in size, but all are cold to the touch and do not cause pain to the animal. The skin and mucous membrane of the genital organs become covered with small nodules and peculiar wounds, and after their disappearance, white spots form in their place. Such spots will be characteristic of this disease, but not specific, since in some cases they are absent. A mucous discharge that is colorless or yellow-brown, sometimes with bloody streaks, flows from the vagina of mares.
The animal's appetite and general condition do not experience significant changes in the first period; only a slight increase in body temperature is observed, which later goes away. This period lasts approximately 40 days.
2. Period of skin manifestations. To the described symptoms are added diseases of the nervous system, which are expressed in the appearance of a rash on the skin, visually reminiscent of urticaria, and the formation of peculiar swellings of the skin in the form of rings - “thaler plaques”. Sometimes there is increased sensitivity in certain areas of the skin (the horse does not allow cleaning in such areas) and frequent urination. There is also emaciation, regardless of the strong urge to feed these days. A sick mare most often aborts.
Specific signs of the disease The formation of such plaques will be observed most often in horses kept in stables. Their appearance occurs under the influence of trypanotoxins and inflammation of the skin layer. These plaques are guaranteed proof of the disease. Their shape is round, and in diameter they reach from 4 to 20 cm. They are characterized by a sudden appearance and the same disappearance (last from a couple of hours to a day, no more).
3. The period of paralysis is observed with a sharp deterioration in the general condition and fevers that are not long in duration, but with characteristic periodicity.
Various expressions of paralysis appear, first of individual motor nerves, most often of the facial nerves: the lips become distorted, the eyelid droops, or the ear droops.
In the case of nerve paralysis in the lumbar region, weakness of the hindquarters and muscle atrophy are observed, the gait changes, and after a few days the animal begins to limp. Due to all these circumstances, the animal is unable to rise, so it develops bedsores, and soon general paralysis, followed by death.
You should not rely heavily on the sequence of these stages; there are cases where horses have only a few symptoms characterizing the third stage and no signs of the second stage at all.
The acute form of the disease causes a large decrease in red blood cells in the blood, a decrease in hemoglobin, lymphocytosis and leukocytosis, and an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
Pathoanatomical changes are unusual for a breeding disease in a horse and therefore it is impossible to make a diagnosis posthumously, after an autopsy. Only exhaustion and some changes in the heart muscle, liver and hind legs are noted.
Diagnosis of breeding disease and differentiation of horses
Diagnosis of the disease is carried out based on three different methods:
- clinical trial;
- serological diagnostics (RSD);
- microscopic analysis.
In addition to such complex actions, an esiotological analysis is also carried out in order to find out how the horse is infected, they look at the breeding register, etc.
The final diagnosis is made only after detection of the pathogen in mucous secretions or in scrapings of the urethra and vagina. Also, clearly visible thaler plaques are considered a clear sign of breeding disease. Microscopic blood examinations are not performed, since trypanosomes are not observed in peripheral blood.
Depigmentation and swelling of the genitals, sudden weight loss, even with a good appetite, paralysis of individual parts of the body: sudden asymmetry of the nostrils or lips, drooping of the ear or eyelids, weakness of the buttocks and limbs - these are symptoms that give reason to suspect the presence of an affair.
Mucus scrapings from stallions are taken with a sterile urethral spoon, and from mares - with a sterile glass slide. If the collected mucus contains small amounts of blood, it is immediately examined in a “crushed drop”, and in the unstained case, living trypanoses are imprinted using a microscope. It should be noted that trypanosis cannot be found in all sick horses, even with numerous studies.
Serological blood method The serological method is based on the reaction of combining an enzyme with an antignene (in this case, trypanosome extract). The reaction gives a group result, since horses with sou-arou also give a positive result. Fresh blood serum is sent to the laboratory.
A group of horses is sent for examination three times, within a period of 1 month, by all means. The examination should take place for the first time 5 months before pregnancy. Depending on the result, horses are divided into groups: sick, suspected of disease, suspected of infection and healthy.
The first group (sick horses) includes an animal if:
- she was found to have trypanosomes, or at least once a positive result for the binding reaction (++ or more);
- those that gave questionable results according to the RSC two or three times;
- who have thaler plaques or characteristic paralysis, as well as severe emaciation;
- have a complex presence of symptoms and a questionable result of RSC.
Second group (horses suspected of disease):
- those animals that, during three-time examinations of the RBC, gave a questionable result once and do not have signs of disease;
- horses with a sign that is not fully understood and three negative RSC results;
- animals that are emaciated and in a disadvantaged group;
The third group (horses that are suspected of being infected) are those animals that are in a disadvantaged group, and they have three negative results after three examinations of all three techniques, but with all these facts they were in mating from a disadvantaged group.
Only those animals that had no relation to a disadvantaged group and did not deal with suspicious or sick horses are considered healthy.
Incidental disease in horses can be distinguished from sou-arou if the blood of a sick animal is examined for trypanosis and when infection occurs in the laboratory.
Treatment of casual disease
So, the horses were allocated based on their results and symptoms. Animals that are included in the group of patients and those suspected of illness are subject to treatment.
First, the horse's weight is measured, this can be done using a measurement. In order to support the horse, 10% Naganin in saline solution is injected into its vein, the dosage is 0.01-0.015 per kilogram of weight. After 30-40 days it is necessary to repeat the effect in the same dosages. To avoid complications such as swelling of the prepuce, lips, and sore hooves, horses are recommended to take a long and moderately tiring walk or ride several times a day 2 days before treatment, and for 7-10 days after the treatment.
In no case should you reduce the dose of Naganin, as this can lead to complications: a small dose of the drug will not only not cure the animal, but will also create resistance to the substance in trypanoses.
Horses that have been treated must be under the supervision of a doctor for 1 year and will be considered healthy only if they are examined three times by all methods 10-12 months after treatment and when they do not have any indicators that could indicate a relapse of the disease.
If a relapse is detected, a chemotherapy complex is prescribed, that is, in addition to Naganin, noversenal is used (0.005 per 1 kg of weight). More recently, new trypanocidal agents have become known to humanity: antimozan, sovarsen (instead of novarsenol), fuadin. For example, Sovarsen and Naganin are used according to the following scheme: on the first and tenth day - Sovarsen in a dosage of 0.003-0.004 per kilogram of horse, injected into a vein, and Naganin is also injected into a vein on the fourth day of treatment in a dosage of 0.01-0.015 per kilogram of weight .
Sovarsen is diluted in sterile distilled water in a ratio of 1:100 and immediately injected into a vein, because with slow administration the vein begins to shrink, which will cause the horse to become more violent.
Fuadin or antimosin in combination with the main drug naginin is injected into a vein with one syringe. First, fuadin is diluted at a dosage of 0.1 ml per kilogram of weight with saline solution, and Naganin (0.01 g/1 kg) is added to this mixture. The course lasts 7 days, while Absalom is given on the first, fourth and seventh days.
Mares undergoing treatment, if their signs of illness disappear, are inseminated artificially or they select for them those stallions who were administered Naganin (0.01-0.05 g/1 kg) as a preventive measure. The same participation awaits mares suspected of being infected.
Horses have improved feed quality during treatment For horses undergoing treatment for breeding disease, the quality of feed is noticeably improved, and in addition to specific treatment, they are also prescribed symptomatic treatment (cardiac medications, etc.).
Preventive measures
Prevention of random disease is carried out by the following measures:
- stallions and mares are constantly monitored by a veterinarian before the mating process. This specific examination includes their serological blood test (SBS), stallions are additionally screened at least 3 times a year;
- regular identification of those groups of horses that need treatment (sick, suspected of infection and suspiciously sick) and, of course, their treatment;
- for prevention purposes, they use: stallions are administered Naganin before the breeding season and the drug is re-influenced after 11/2 months, if mating is still in progress;
ensuring the functioning of insemination points in artificial conditions. Required condition– mares that collect sperm are administered the drug Naganin every month for prophylactic purposes; - carry out castration of stallions that are not suitable or not intended for breeding;
- stallions older than one year, as well as castrated ones, are kept in a separate place from mares.
