Despite the strength of horses, they, like other animals, are prone to many diseases that can often lead to their death. In order to prevent this, the "enemy" must be known in person. Consider what constitutes infectious anemia and how to ensure that it never appears in your animals.
What is this disease?
Infectious anemia is an acute or chronically flowing pedigree, which is characterized by persistent or recurring fever, anemia during a temperature increase, impaired heart function, and even a long-term virus carrier that is hidden.
As a result, horse owners suffer serious financial losses due to the death of animals, as well as spending on the fight and prevention.
Read more about how to properly breed and mate horses.
Causative agent and causes
The causative agent of the disease is an RNA-containing virus that enters the bloodstream and then into all organs and tissues of the patient being. In addition to the body, the INAN virus is reproduced in bone marrow cells and leukocytes with the formation of the JRS.
This virus is poorly resistant to high temperatures, and low rates will have a preservative effect on it. In addition, it manifests sensitivity to disinfectants in standard concentrations.
Infectious anemia usually affects horses and other artiodactyls at any age. The virus enters the body through the skin, mucous membranes and even the digestive tract. In addition, even insects can spread the infection. 
It is possible to get infected during the stay of a sick and healthy horse in the immediate vicinity, due to feeding on contaminated feed or water, as well as through a harness or animal care items. Even people who have been in contact with sick animals can carry the disease on healthy horses.
Did you know? There are 160 types of horses in the world, but only the Arabian is pure and unique.
Symptoms and course of the disease
The main symptoms of the disease are:
- fever;
- weakness and even exhaustion;
- changes in the composition of the blood;
- problems with the work of the heart.
On average, the incubation period lasts between 10-30 days. However, there are cases when the body tried to fight the disease for 3 months. Depending on the degree of manifestation of symptoms and the speed of development, there are different course of diseases. 
Consider each in more detail:
Supersonic. It is characterized by fever, gastroenteritis, cardiac weakness, asphyxia. The animal is in very difficult condition and even has difficulty moving. Usually the animal dies for a short period of time.
Check out the description of the best horse suits.
Sharp. Accompanied by the rapid rise in temperature to 40 ° C. In addition, depression or, on the contrary, mood stimulation, as well as discharge from mucous membranes, is manifested.
In addition, there are other signs:
- head drooping and severe shortness of breath during movement;
- colic and diarrhea are not uncommon, besides with an admixture of blood;
- mucous membranes swell, moreover, point hemorrhages appear on them;
- by the end of the disease there are interruptions in the heart and at the same time increased heart rate.
The duration of this condition can last from 3 to 15 days.
Subacute. This condition is most often a continuation of the previous one, but sometimes it can manifest on its own. This flow takes place over several months. The recurrence of symptoms may alternate with times of complete remission. 
Signs during a fever are no different from an acute course, but from time to time there is a significant improvement that can be perceived by the owners as healing. However, blood tests point to something else.
Important! The more frequent seizures occur, the faster the body's defenses disappear and the animal dies.
Chronic. Most often, the disease enters the chronic stage as a result of the continuation of the subacute course.
At this time, the following occurs:
- bouts of fever more short-term;
- body temperature is maintained, but at times it can drop;
- there is a lack of strength and muscle tremor;
- severe shortness of breath and palpitations.
Remission in this condition can last for several months. With good feeding and care, the animal can live for many years. However, it must be isolated from other animals, because, despite remission, it is a virus carrier that can infect healthy animals. 
Latent. This course of the disease occurs only in horses that are resistant to the virus. In this state, there are increases in temperature, single for several months. Despite the healthy appearance of horses, they are virus carriers and should be treated as dangerous sources of infection.
Did you know? Horse hoof is unique. Since during the pressure of the weight on it, the blood from it is pushed up through the veins. Thus, the hoof plays the role of a circulation pump.
Diagnostics
Accurate diagnosis can be made on the basis of epizootological, hematological, clinical and pathological-morphological data. In especially difficult cases, when the data obtained by these methods do not give accurate results, biological samples can be applied.
The examination should include attention to mucous membranes, weight loss with constant appetite, swelling, and limb shakiness. 
Pathological changes
After the autopsies of animals that died of anemia, the following picture was discovered:
- sepsis;
- hemorrhagic diathesis;
- swelling of the lymph nodes;
- a strong increase in the spleen;
- heart muscle flabby;
- cover serosity;
- pale mucous with icteric tint.
Important! When sick animals are detected, they are quarantined. Patients are killed, all disinfected. Quarantine is removed only after 3 months, after negative results of studies that are carried out every 30 days.
Treatment
Despite the spread and study of this disease, today has not yet developed an effective method of treating this disease. Most often, sick animals are killed. 
Is it dangerous for humans?
Despite the high danger to the artiodactyls, infectious anemia does not pose any danger to humans.
We recommend reading about where wild horses live.
Prevention
To prevent this disease from affecting your horses, you must follow certain prevention methods, which include:
- veterinary control during the movement of horses;
- isolation and complete examination of individuals;
- preventive quarantine and serological surveys of new animals.
As can be seen from the foregoing, infectious anemia for horses is a very dangerous animal, which, moreover, does not have a method of treatment so far developed. So you need to do everything to prevent this problem from appearing in your household.
