In the laboratory, raccoons, cats, armadillos, skunks, and sea otters have been shown to be intermediate hosts. This Could Be Why - Slaframine Toxicosis, What You Need to Know About Laminitis or Founder, How an Equine Chiropractor Can Help Your Horse. With medication, horses can recover from EPM, however neurologic damage can be permanent. This is a neurological disease which means it effects the horse’s coordination, spinal cord and brain. Less commonly, a different protozoan called Neospora hughesi may also cause EPM. EPM in horses can be a fatal disease. Interestingly, it has not been reported in mules, donkeys, or other non-horse equids. The likeliest source of infection is opossum faeces, so horse owners should try to keep opossums away from their horses, especially from feeding and watering areas. Dropped feed or trouble swallowing. EPM in horses can be fatal. It is recommended that you allow all cookies. What causes EPM in horses? It is an inflammatory disease of nerve tissues of the brain and spinal cord caused by unicellular protozoa Sarcocystis neurona. EPM or Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis has plagued horse owners for decades with an estimated clinical prevalence of less than 5% of horses being affected. With quick diagnoses and proper medication, most horses will recover from EPM but some permanent damage may exist. https://www.thesprucepets.com/equine-protozoal-myeloencephalitis-1886437 Fencing has been designed to prevent the entrance of these animals and should be considered if opossums are a nuisance. It looks like a jerk or hop, with the affected hindlimb(s) snapped up towards the ventral abdomen. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a master of disguise. Horses with EPM cannot pass it onto other horses. Jonathan Wood Ltd. Crediton Sarcocystis neurona is most often associated with EPM and not usually present in muscle, while S fayeri produces muscular sarcocystis (EMS), which elicits inflammation and associated clinical signs. Drooping ear. Avoid attracting scavenging opossums by removing any dead animals, eg cats, rats etc, from around the property where the horses are kept. 05037913. It’s caused by two protozoal parasites. EPM is caused by the parasite Sarcocystis neurona. No drug kills 100% of the protozoa, they only reduce the population; the horse’s immune system has to do the rest! Another important antioxidant is glutathione. Horse owners with EPM horses often have questions about alternative treatments, new diagnostic tests and the status of research into EPM. Exposure to EPM means it doesn’t have an active infection, and will not cause neurological symptoms. Less Common EPM Symptoms. Unfortunately, the symptoms of EPM can be difficult to distinguish from other diseases, such as wobbler syndrome, Herpesvirus 1, West Nile virus, rabies, or even equine encephalitis, so this makes it hard to diagnose. EPM stands for Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) continues to plague horses, causing neurological deficits that threaten athletic careers and lives. The definitive host of this organism is the opossum, which passes the organism in its feces. Signs and symptoms of horses with EPM. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis. American Association of Equine Practitioners, Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). Katherine is an avid horseback rider and trainer who contributed to The Spruce Pets for over 12 years, publishing 400+ articles. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is caused by the protozoal parasites Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, although most cases are due to S. neurona. The opossum is the definitive host of the disease, passing the parasite through … A drooping lip or repeated facial twitch. Other signs include unusual sweating patterns, head tilt, facial paralysis, lack of tongue tone, drooping ear, visual problems, behavioural abnormalities, dragging a hoof, carrying tail to one side and seizures. Opossums carry the organism that causes EPM. Chagas and EPM are caused by different protozoa and require different treatment. A neurological condition caused by protozoal parasites, EPM often produces subtle, easy-to-miss signs early on. Rubbish and open feed bags should be kept in closed galvanised metal containers. Diagnosis of EPM and EMS is difficult be- If a horse is mildly affected you may only notice stumbling or slight lameness. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a serious disease syndrome in horses from the Americas. Treatment can take 28 day to 6 months, depending on the drug treatment used by your vet. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a master of disguise. If you don't allow cookies, you may not be able to use certain features of the web site. It is found in horse feed, hay, pasture or water that has been contaminated with opossum faeces, and horses can be affected at any age. Although the veterinary community is constantly working toward a proven way to prevent We asked Dr. David Granstrom, a pioneer of EPM research and a world-recognized expert, for help understanding this debilitating disease. Bernaville Nurseries, Cowley Symptoms vary between horses so not all horses will have all of these symptoms:. Unlike Chagas, which affects humans and some other mammals, EPM only affects horses. Changes to manure (Sn toxin may cause diarrhea) Extreme lethargy. More than 50 percent of all horses in the United States may have been exposed to the organism that causes EPM. Stringhalt, or equine reflex hypertonia, is a neuromuscular condition that causes a gait abnormality characterized by involuntary, exaggerated upward movement of one or both of the hindlimbs. Higher intakes of vitamin E, up to 10,000 iu can be of benefit to some horses. While other animals may carry the protozoa in their body, only opossums can transmit EPM. The feces of opossums contain sporocysts and that is how they transmit the disease. The definitive host for S. neurona is the opossum, and horses become infected when they ingest feed or … As many as 50 percent of all horses in the United States may have been exposed to the organism that causes EPM. To determine if a horse is suffering from EPM, it must be examined by an equine veterinarian. One of the difficulties with diagnosing EPM is that it can look like many other neurological diseases. Registered in England No. In order to complete its life cycle this parasite needs two hosts, a definitive and an intermediate. Devon Your vet will want to perform a neurological examination and take a sample of blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for testing. These sporocysts are cysts that contain spores of the protozoa and they reproduce asexually. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a disease of horses that affects the central nervous system. Once the sporocysts are transferred to the horse, they can cause neurological damage, including lesions on the spinal cord and brain stem. Infection doesn’t mean disease The presence of antibodies against S. neurona and N. hughesi in the horse’s blood does not mean the horse has EPM. EPM still poses diagnostic challenges and can be difficult to differentiate from other neurological diseases. If left untreated, the horse may eventually be unable to stand or swallow (which can be confused with Wobblers Syndrome) and death can occur. After a horse ingests the contaminated feed or water, the protozoa travels through the digestive tract and enters the bloodstream. It’s a “neurologic disease in horses caused by infection with the protozoan Sarcocystis Neurona (SN). A few types of wild animals and all opossums can be the carrier of the protozoa for EPM. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) can cause devastating neurologic illness in horses. It is most often diagnosed in horses between 1 and 6 years old. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis is thought by most to be caused by a single organism, EPM is a disease caused by infection with the protozoa Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi, but it is more commonly caused by N. hughesi which is carried by opossums in North and South America. The owner you are the diagnostician always watch behaviour changes,watch lameness.unbalance of any … Diagnosis is often difficult because the onset is very similar to other diseases, especially Chagas. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, the most effective course of treatment can begin. Yet, left untreated, the disease can cause irreversible damage to the spinal cord and brain. Roysden, Barnstaple Cross SN infects horses when they ingest the organism in contaminated feed or water,” according to the Iron Gate Equine Clinic.