| Sleeping Sickness Description | | | | disease does not immediately lead to a show of |
| In horses, sleeping sickness has three major strains. | | | | symptoms. Indications of the ailment often surfaces |
| The Venezuelan strain originated from Central | | | | only after seven to twenty-one days after a |
| America and is the most deadly of all the strains. It is | | | | mosquito bite. Without prompt medical attention, an |
| however the rarest strain in the U.S. with southern | | | | infected horse can die in less than two weeks. |
| states more at risk than northern states. The | | | | Initial symptoms include fever. This is followed by an |
| eastern and western strains are named after the U.S. | | | | apparent disorientation and lack of coordination. A |
| regions in which they are most common in. | | | | horse with an infection will inexplicably begin to crash |
| Transmission of Disease | | | | into objects. This is an indication that the virus is |
| Sleeping sickness is transmitted to horses by | | | | already beginning to affect the nervous system. In its |
| mosquitoes. Hence the risk of the disease is highest | | | | final stages, the disease will cause severe depression |
| during the spring and summer months when | | | | in a horse. At this point, the term sleeping sickness |
| mosquitoes are likely to be more in number. Carrier | | | | becomes most appropriate. A horse will seem like it is |
| mosquitoes are not the original sources of the virus | | | | asleep because of its lack of interest in anything and |
| that causes the disease. They get the virus from | | | | its low head carriage. |
| birds, rodents and reptiles that carry it. Aside from | | | | Treatment Options |
| horses, the virus can also affect humans. | | | | Unlike bacterial infections, there is hardly any good |
| Horses that have been infected with the western | | | | treatment option for a severe viral infection. The |
| and eastern strains are generally considered dead end | | | | most that can be done for an ailing horse is to |
| hosts. This means that except for a very short | | | | provide it with comforting care. It may be given |
| period of time during their illness, horses are unable to | | | | medication to lower its fever. Some horses may |
| transmit the virus to mosquitoes that bite them. It is | | | | survive sleeping sickness. Often though, these |
| a different story though for the more deadly | | | | survivors suffer permanent brain damage. |
| Venezuelan sleeping sickness. Mosquitoes that bite | | | | Disease Prevention |
| horses that are sick with this strain are able to carry | | | | This deadly disease can be prevented through |
| off the virus to other hosts. | | | | vaccination. This is the best option for horse owners |
| Common Symptoms | | | | since mosquito eradication is virtually impossible. There |
| The disease ultimately affects the central nervous | | | | are vaccines for all three strains but since the |
| system. Hence, its symptoms are quite linked to the | | | | Venezuelan strain is rare, some horse owners do not |
| nervous system. Strangely enough, this dangerous | | | | opt to have their horses vaccinated for this strain. |