Nova Scotia horses battling contagious respiratory infection

A Middleton, N.S., veterinary practice is warning animal owners about a respiratory infection that's been affecting horses at agricultural exhibitions in the Annapolis Valley area.

"In the last 24 hours, we have seen quite a few sick horses. These horses were all at the Annapolis valley ex, or in contact with horses that were," says Middleton Veterinary Services on its Facebook page. "Please check them daily for the following clinical signs: lethargy, loss of appetite, mucopurulent nasal discharge, cough and fever. "

Exhibitions seem to be source

Veterinarian Nicole MacHattie said Sunday she has treated 10 sick horses in the last two days. 

Of those, three had been to the Annapolis Valley exhibition, she said.

"Then they came home and got their three friends sick.They picked it up presumably down there, because that has been the common denominator." The event took place Aug. 15-20 in Lawrencetown. 

Horses attending the Digby County Exhibition, held Aug. 24-27, have also showed signs of the respiratory illness, MacHattie said. One man she knows had eight horses down with the infection.

Exposed horses shouldn't travel 

Until test results are in, it can't be certain whether the illness is bacterial or viral but the animals appear to be responding well to antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, she said. None have died, as far as she knows.

It doesn't bode well for horse owners who want to exhibit at future events.

It can take up to a week for the animals to show symptoms, MacHattie said. Any horse that's been exposed shouldn't be taken anywhere else "for a solid week so they don't spread it."

Rural exhibitions run close together which can increase the number of exposures to the sickness.

Not considered deadly

The Tremont World Fair and Berwick Gala Days are coming-up, said MacHattie.

"They both have horse shows. There's a lot of people that just go to those but then again, you risk exposing your horse to a horse that might have picked something up in Digby and isn't going to be showing signs yet," she said.

"I hate to say 'don't go' but the good thing is, so far, nobody's looked like they were going to die...but certainly, it's a setback."