Rhodococcus equi is a dangerous pathogen that causes pneumonia in foals that are generally between the ages of 3 weeks and 5 months. In cases caught early on, the foal can make a full recovery with proper treatment. However, in more serious cases the mortality rate is quite high. The disease was discussed in depth during the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention.
It isn’t for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn’t have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals. “To date, alternatives to macrolides for effective treatment of R. equi pneumonia in foals have not been identified
It isn’t for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn’t have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.
A donation from the Equine Foundation of Canada (EFC) has allowed the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown to purchase new equipment for equine dentistry procedures and laryngeal surgery. Past
Although about 30% of foals that develop Rhodococcus equi foal pneumonia do not survive, the majority of foals can be treated successfully and proceed with a normal life. But why is it that only foals are affected by this respiratory disease?
The UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, formerly the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, is offering a new test for the disease-causing bacteria of equine strangles, Streptococcus equi subspecies equi, that differentiates between vaccine-related and wild-type infections.
One of the major foal diseases in the United States is Rhodococcus equi foal pneumonia. Responsible for the deaths of up to 30% of infected foals, it is a serious problem at many large breeding farms.
Update on Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals by Drs. Noah Cohen of Texas A&M University, Steeve Giguere of the University of Georgia, and M. Julia B. Felippe of Cornell University. (Presented at the 2010 AAEP convention)
For years foal owners have struggled with controlling the bacterium Rhodococcus equi and the infections it causes—some farms manage cases annually, despite following strict farm management strategies to reduce risk of infection.
Current evidence suggests that the most successful treatments are a combination of the drug rifampin and a macrolide (an antimicrobial drug).
R. equi is a dangerous pathogen that causes pneumonia in foals that are generally between the ages of 3 weeks and 5 months. In cases that caretakers and veterinarians catch early on, the foal can make a full recovery with proper treatment. However in more serious cases, the mortality rate is quite high.
High ammonia levels in barns can be detrimental to horses’ respiratory health. Know how to keep them low.
We’ve all heard the statistics about an aging America. The elderly represent the fastest growing-proportion of the U.S. population. In recent years horses have experienced a similar population shift.
A large portion of the equine population (about 15%) is composed of horses older than 20 and, even at this age, many remain actively involved in equestrian sports, reproduction, or as companion
Understand the structure and function of the equine upper respiratory system to understand horses’ breathing.
When stalling your horse, consider the long-term effects this might have on general health and emotional state.
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