Salmonella in horses?

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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How does a horse get salmonella?
Is it likely that other horses can get it from that yard?
How contagious is it?
I know people can get it from the horse to but what is the likelyhood of this happening?

Sorry for lots of questions
 
i help with a horse charity and they often get cases of horses with salmonella. If horses are under stress or under the weather they are more suseptible. If a horse has it on a yard its usually isolated and its droppings are usually what spreads it i think. So the dropping must be taken out, destroyed and not put in the muckheap. a lot of horses have some sort of salmonella in their gut i think, but when their immune system is low it can turn into a problem.

I think transmission to humans is possible, but very unlikely, but i cant swear. I'd imagine its the usual at risk category of old, young or those with low immune system. Anyone i saw dealing with the horse had plastic gloves and plastic boot covers that were disposed off after on etc and they also used an anti-bac hand wash regurlarly. The stable he was in also got its own mucking out stuff, and that wasn't used anywhere else.
 
I know that horses can get salmonella as when my friends horse was very very ill (it basically staved its self to death and no one ever found out why) it was tested for samonella. (It didnt have that!)

I do recall the vet saying it was contagious to other horses (and people) as my horse lived in the same field and I cried non stop for 3 days until it was found to not be samonella. I think one way it can be passed by sharing drinking water?

Maybe post this in the vets department - or better still call your vet if you have any concerns!!

I found this link... it seems it is common in pets and may be undiagnoised. http://www.provet.co.uk/Petfacts/healthtips/salmonellosis.htm
 
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Thanks for replies, we didn't know what was wrong at first and vets were stumped for days but atleast they know what to treat now.

I'll keep an eye on everything and possibly get field harrowed as its far too big to poo pick.
 
A few years ago a horse on a nearby yard was very ill, it had not long been bought so owner suspected she had bought it with the illness as within a week or so of her buying it, sadly it died.
Everything was kept hush hush, the horse in the adjoining stable was chucked in the field to keep it away from the ill horse and the owner burnt all bedding, rugs, anything that came into contact with it.
Nothing was ever said but we heard later the horse had suspected salmonella.
 
I really hope you get it sorted and its not a serious infection. Any horses i have seen get it have been ;pushed beyond their limits; are undernourished; have an existing medical condition which means they can't fight it or have been rescued from a crowded area with terrible conditions. Most have come right through being giving intravenous vitamins etc. How far advanced is the carrier?
 
if its any consolation, we were told sunlight can destroy salmonella in the feaces, so hopefully a few days of sun will help out your paddocks.
 
The carrier is at the equine hospital and has been since sat morning. He had suspected grass sickness, colic or EAM when first admitted as he had high temp and heart rate and no gut sounds. It was thought today that its salmonella after having the specialist. He has diarroeah (SP) and is loosing condition fast.


Would it be safe for us to move yards on Saturday or is there a risk we could be spreading it? My horse isn't in the same field as the infected one.
 
if i was you, i'd move, if that what id been planning to do anyway. If your horse is eating normally and there is no sign of diarrhea or anything, then i'd move. especially if you think he hasn't shared water with the infected horse or been exposed to his droppings.
 
The horse that was in the adjoining stable had been in the same field for a couple of days until the ill horse deteriated. The field mate was fine and never shown any illness at all.
Fingers crossed everything is ok.
 
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