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EPM.......I hate it!!!

By Belinda Garza

Title Insurance with Netco Title

January 04, 2007 09:01 AM

I am with a horse rescue group and had a horse that I fostered. Well a friend of the family adopted the horse and I told him that he could keep the horse at my house for him if he would buy the feed. Well one day last week I went to feed and noticed that she was walking funny. My first thought was that she has slipped and hurt her back. Well I called the vet and she came out on Saturday 12/30. She could tell almost right way that she had EPM.

I have been riding since I was 5 years old and had NEVER seen anything like this in my life. So needless to say the horse was put down because she was just beyond help. The scary thing is that one of MY horse can get this and have the same fate.

The vet told me that not only to Possums carry this but also Raccons and CATS! That just blew me away!!

The vet also told me that they have a vacine BUT it is not effective in the fight for EPM!

Keep your babies close and kiss and love the every day!

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Tricia Jumonville

Bradfield Properties - Georgetown, TX

Texas REALTOR , Agent With Horse Sense

Raccoons and cats? This is the first I've heard of that, and I've researched the heck out of it (given that we have possums around frequently, even though we take care of any that we find, and we have ten cats and raccoons all over the place - in fact, I don't know of a barn without a barn cat or three). Back to google with me!

Horses CAN recover from this, but it's frequently a hard, expensive road, and the outcome is by no means certain even with all that.

I'm very sorry to hear this.

Jan 04, 2007 12:30 PM

Diane Cipa

The Closing Specialists® - Ligonier, PA

I lost my Harmony to EPM. Don't know how you can avoid contact with fecal matter from all those animals in a barn area. Guess it's just luck.

Feb 12, 2007 10:08 AM

Theresa Cavanaugh

Global Realty Marketing - Appleton, WI

Help! What is EPM? I have horses, cats and try hard to keep the raccoons and opossums away, but that is hard to do with 70 acres of woods surrounding me. Is there a prevention (like how to know if your barn cats have or are carrying this)?

Apr 08, 2007 08:02 AM

Rather than try to explain it, I thought I'd take you directly to the AAEP page listing all their articles on it (years' worth, looks like): what is it, how to prevent it, how to know if your horse has it, etc. It's a nasty beast, it is.

Apr 08, 2007 10:53 AM

Tricia, thank you so much. I try to keep the wildlife out, but will work harder on controlling the cats. Thank you guys for the heads up.

Apr 08, 2007 01:18 PM

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Keller Williams Realty - Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor Area Real Estate

I thought I vaccined against it. Is that wrong? I'll look for the answer. Thanks!

Dec 29, 2007 08:40 AM

Pam Dent

Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc. - Charlottesville, VA

REALTOR® - Charlottesville Virginia Homes / Horse

Does anyone know how long it takes before you see a result on the Marquese? I have a horse that has been on it for several weeks and so far not much in the way of a change.

There is no vaccine for epm. That is the scary part, because it is becoming so common. Didn't realize cats could carry it.

Apr 04, 2008 02:09 AM

Sabrina Kelley

ERA Herman Group Real Estate - Woodland Park, CO

Woodland Park Colorado Mountain Homes and Land

So sad. I have never heard of EPM. It is stange that it is becoming more common.

Jun 27, 2008 01:34 PM

Marian Gregor-Ann

Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI

Arbor area Real Estate

Belinda, I'm so sorry to hear about your nice mare. Yes, opossums are the vector. Because of this as well as the nationwide increase in rabies I bring my horses in every night. My husband's trail horse had epm before we got him. Fortunately he was treated successfully. He has no ongoing problems from this. I have recently read about daily dewormer (stongid C) creating an unsuitable enviroment for the protazoa in the horse. More research is needed. Oh, there is no vaccine.

May 10, 2009 04:12 PM

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Belinda Garza

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