Even though the chance
of a positive is slim you’d still want to get it done if it is
required. Some horses are only carriers and have no symptoms but spread it to
others. If you don’t get the test done before the purchase and you need
to do one later, maybe for traveling, and the horse is found positive at that
time, then the horse has to be quarantined for the remainder of it’s
life in a screened stall with a 200 yard buffer zone from all other horses or
be euthanized, which is what many owners opt for
rather than keep their horse so isolated. Either
way not an outcome you’d be happy about.
Kathy
Hey,
I wish I could find the
site I found this info. on. I'll look and see if I can
find the exact details. I looked it up a few weeks ago. I think the year
was like 1990 or something. They testing a few hundred thousand horses for the
virus and I think it was over 100 that were positive.
They did it again in 2001 I believe and I think there were like 5 horses out of
900,000 or so that actually tested POSITIVE! So
really what is the chance that a horse has the virus.
And if it did wouldn't you notice something not right about the equine?
Honestly, in my opinion,
I wouldn't really worry about it. But that's just how my family is. If a horse
has the virus you'll know. Look up the symptons, I don't think you'd get away with selling a horse that was
positive that doesn't show the symptons. I'll look
those up again too unless someone knows them.
We're not too keen on
giving our horses much shots or things like that. My family has always been
that way and our horses have always been nothing but wonderfully healthy
horses!
