Red Water Disease

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1au12a

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Hi there, I'm looking to move my horses to a farm recently used for cattle. The cattle business was wound up due to Red Water Disease, a disease carried by ticks in the area. Does anyone have any experience with this disease and whether it has any thread to equines? I understand that DEFRA my be the best people to speak to, but I thought I would try here first! Many thanks in advance :-)
 
Thanks amandap, I'm sorry to hear about your friends horses. Have done a bit of research online but not much info on whether the effected land can redeemed.
 
Red water disease in cattle caused by Babesia divergens in the UK does not affect horses. However ticks can transmit Lyme's disease - but that occurs where ever ticks occur - no suggestion that the risk would be any higher on this farm.
 
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Our land is prone to this. We do our cattle with betacoll (sp?) and have never had a sick horse because of it. However, if the farmer hasn't been doing them for it it remains more active. Draining the land can help.
you should be fine, and if you are still concerned ask the vet about an equine version of betacoll.
 
I would definitely discuss it with your vet and do some research as to which strain is endemic on the land. Proceed with great caution is my thinking. :)
 
Red water is the local term for the disease Babesiosis which is spread via tick bites.
The type found in the UK and ireland does not affect Horses :)

However it sounds like the area may have a high tick burden so lyme disease and other tick bourne diseases are an increased risk. Use good fly and tick control and you should be safe enough to graze horses on that land..

By any chance was the previous farm a Dairy? They are restricted from using bayticol and other effective tick preventatives on milking cows so that could be why it was such a hugh problem.
 
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