b"AFTER THE IMMUNE CHALLENGEdeveloping it than others, while Lyme- reported joint effusion (fluid accumula- says Divers. That being said, many associated uveitis does not. tion), cranial nerve dysfunction, menin- horses are infected with B. burgdorferi but Neuroborreliosis might cause signsgitis (inflammation of the membranesnever develop clinical disease. Why only a of spinous muscle atrophy, difficultysurrounding the brain and spinal cord),small number of infected horses develop swallowing, respiratory distress, paresis,and irregular heartbeat. These clinicalclinical disease is not well-understood but ataxia, behavioral changes, hypersensi- signs can be difficult to interpret becauseappears somewhat reminiscent of EPM.tivity to touch and sound, involuntaryother diseases can cause similar signs.While veterinarians frequently attribute muscle twitching, and neck and backLuckily, neither Lyme uveitis nor neu- shifting intermittent lameness and stiff-stiffness and pain. Veterinarians have alsoroborreliosis are particularly common,ness to Lyme disease, little data exist sup-porting these signs as part of the clinical disease syndrome. Nonetheless, we know joint involvement is possible because researchers have found B. burgdorferi in synovial membranes inside joints.CUTS. SADDLE WOUNDS. RINGWORM.Long-term consequences Due to a lack of reliable tests to clearly diagnose clini-SURGERY SITES. AND MORE. cal Lyme disease, predicting whether a horse suspected of having it will respond to antibiotic therapy remains nearly impossible. In many presumptive Lyme cases treated with antibiotics, the vague clinical signs resolve. That said, cases involving neuroborreliosis have a poor outcome, and Lyme-induced uveitis bodes poorly for a horses vision. The duration of time from infection to treatment ap-pears to affect case outcomethe longer that gap, the poorer the prognosis, say our sources. Researchers have demonstrated that horses do suffer from chronic infection, and owners must be aware that horses can be reinfected even after antibiotic treatment. Take-Home MessageAs miraculous as it is, the immune system cant be expected to wage its daily war unassisted. Fortunately, many sidekicks exist to help. Reducing stressa risk factor for most infectious diseasescan improve immune function Help heal wounds and soresTreat ringworm, girth itch, & fungal disorders and decrease a horses chance of get- Clean coat and condition skin ting sick. Avoid exposing your horse to Free of steroids and antibiotics mosquitoes and ticks, keep opossums out Visit vetericyn.com to buy online or nd a store near you! of your barn and feed in covered contain-ers, and keep up with your horses core and risk-based vaccinations to stimulate MANUFACTURERS COUPON EXPIRES: DECEMBER 31, 2019and prepare his immune system. These $3.00 OFF Any ONE (1) Vetericyn Plus orapproaches are particularly effective Vetericyn FoamCare Shampoo product when implemented alongside appropri-Consumer and Retailer: LIMIT ONE (1) COUPON PER PURCHASE OF SPECIFIEDate biosecurity protocols (TheHorse.com/PRODUCT AND QUANTITY STATED. NOT TO BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER COUPON(S). LIMIT OF TWO (2) IDENTICAL COUPONS IN SAME SHOPPING TRIP.BiosecurityTips).Void if expired, reproduced, altered, copied, sold, purchased, transferred, or exchanged WR\x1fDQ\\\x1fSHUVRQ\x1e\x1fUP\x1e\x1fRU\x1fJURXS\x1fSULRU\x1fWR\x1fVWRUH\x1fUHGHPSWLRQ\x1e\x1fRU\x1fZKHUH\x1fSURKLELWHG\x1fRU\x1fUHVWULFWHG\x1f A healthy and functional immune sys-E\\\x1fODZ\x1d\x1f$Q\\\x1fRWKHU\x1fXVH\x1fFRQVWLWXWHV\x1fIUDXG\x1d\x1f&RQVXPHU\x1c\x1f