Wednesday, August 06, 2008
WHAT IS EPM
Many people have not heard of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) or if they have heard of it, they’ve heard it called “Possum Disease”.
A protozoa is an organism that would be found between the bacteria and the virus. It is more independent than a virus but less affected by antibiotics than bacteria. Myeloencehphalitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord.
Horses get the disease from the feces of the possum. Once inside the horse the organism moves to the spinal cord. The horse is not infectious to other horses. If two horses in the same barn become infected, it is because both of them ingested opossum manure with their feed.
The disease is found most commonly in horses less than three years old. It can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms often mimic other health problems. If left undiagnosed and untreated, EPM can cause devastating and lasting neurologic damage.
For more information check out:
http://horsedoc_org.tripod.com/epm.htm
http://www.dclahdvm.com/aricles/epm.htm
Many people have not heard of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) or if they have heard of it, they’ve heard it called “Possum Disease”.
A protozoa is an organism that would be found between the bacteria and the virus. It is more independent than a virus but less affected by antibiotics than bacteria. Myeloencehphalitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord.
Horses get the disease from the feces of the possum. Once inside the horse the organism moves to the spinal cord. The horse is not infectious to other horses. If two horses in the same barn become infected, it is because both of them ingested opossum manure with their feed.
The disease is found most commonly in horses less than three years old. It can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms often mimic other health problems. If left undiagnosed and untreated, EPM can cause devastating and lasting neurologic damage.
For more information check out:
http://horsedoc_org.tripod.com/epm.htm
http://www.dclahdvm.com/aricles/epm.htm
