EPM - case here in NE KY

[Gizmo]

I don't have much to contribute to this board....thought I'd post about this, and ask for some opinions/help.

Last night at a training barn, one of the (newly gelded) saddle horses was diagnosed with EPM. The trainers (having worked on TB farms in MI) suspected it, and the vet "confirmed" it - tests/treatment pending.

I don't know anything about this disease, and am now concerned about MY horse(s). Can anyone give me some insight??

Thanks,
Gizmo

[madelyn]

I am not a vet, and only learn from what I read, but I believe EPM can be transmitted by mosquitos, no problem at this time of the year; it is thought to be caused by exposure to infected possum droppings (can Always be a problem because they can be In The Hay!); treatment is swift, expensive (Marquis) but permanent damage can remain. Good news, your horse can't catch it from the other horse. But CHECK THE HAY. Good luck.

[marg]

hi; I had a mare that my vet suspected had EPM this summer.He advised me to treat right away before waiting for test results because EPM moves quickly .It comes from possums---My vet also feels raccoons are a possibility also.It comes from their droppings.The horse has a hard time staying on its feet ----loses weight---and eventually can not get up and has to be put down.My mare had lost a lot of weight even though she was on excellent pasture ,good hay and getting grain twice a day plus she was wormed.She came up one night for water and fell over.She was dragging her hind feet a bit .The vet started treating her that night.We medicated her every day for a month.That was in August and we still have her.You have to act fast with treatment .There are a couple of different medications but they work.It is fairly common in our area---lots of trees and stuff where the culprits live.One horse will not transmit it to another horse but if they were grazing in the same area then they could be in trouble.We had 14 horses in that pasture and she was the only one that showed signs of EPM. There are more ins and outs about it but this is getting long.Good luck ,Dont worry too much but the best thing to do is just observe your horses movements every day .Marg

[jellac]

I've heard that a treatment named something like: "Marquee"? (Or "Marquis"?) is very effective in treating horses WITH EPM - the earlier detected and treatment started the more effective.

I don't believe that EPM is transmitted to horses by mosquitos....if it were surely every single horse in Texas and Louisisana's coastal plains area would be positive for this or in danger of getting this. The last research I read stated that this parasite is unusual in that it has a multi-vector path in going from it's host to equines in a form that is harmful. I understand that it is carried in an early form of it's life cycle from birds (the first host - who is not harmed by the -parasite's presense) to certain marsupials (possums) and small mammals (raccoons?) by mosquitoes (Or by direct contamination in from the birds' droppings?). Once ingested or injected into the opposums, it then matures to a third stage and is deposited in their fecal droppings in and around the pasture grain bins, watering troughs and barn mangers/feed bins where these scavengers tend to hang out because of the attraction of spilled grain. It is thus being communicated to some horses but not all in a pasture when a horse happens to ingest 'contaminated' grain or grass. I suppose the 'same' transmitter from bird host to mammals gets the job of transmitting the eggs or larvae of this parasite from the final 'host' back to the birds to make the circle of life complete for this parasite. I believe that it is a form of amoebic parasite?

[mary syers]

We have a vet here in Iowa who used IV Oxytetracycline to treat EPM. Anybody else have any experience with this treatment? Results? Mary

[skeenan]

My horse has EPM- he was tested and treated a couple years ago, when my other neighbor's horse died from it. They were living in FLA before moving back up here to NH. I'm not sure what he was treated with, but I know it was fairly expensive. He most likely contracted it via possums, according to my neighbor.

He's fine today- he doesn't show signs or symptoms. My understanding is that it's similar Lyme disease in dogs (which one of our dogs has)- they are always a carrier, but may live out their lives never showing any signs of the disease. Guess only time will tell...

This link is very informative:
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/horses/facts/epm.htm

[Intrinsic Worth]

We've used coltrim, daraprim, and tubing with DMSO on the onset of any neurological disease and it works wonders.

[henthorn]

Basically EPM acts a lot like multiple sclerosis in people, as it demyelinates the spinal cord and other central nerve tissue in the areas it is affected. It is caused by a protozoal organism that migrates preferentially to the central nervous system, then damages the protective lining of the nerves that helps them transmit their signals correctly. Once nerve tissue is damaged, it takes a long time to heal and healing is usually less than complete. It can affect coordination, sensation, sense of body positioning, muscle strength. The treatment involves early detection, treatment of the protozoal infection, and long periods of recuperation time, to allow optimal recovery. I'm sure proper nutrition also would play a role in how much or how fast the recovery takes place while nerve tissue and muscle mass is built back up.

[halo]

We have treated many horses diagnosed with EPM with Marquis, and they all have gone on to productive racing careers. I remember when Awesome Again was here in Ocala, he was being treated for EPM. When we have a horse that looks a little neurological, we run an EPM test on it, and are relieved when it comes back positive, as its treatable. When the test comes back negative, then you have some real problems.