Be careful with shipping fever in horses

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/02/2020 (2394 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Shipping fever is a dangerous type of pneumonia seen in horses hauled over distances in trailers. It is dangerous, as it has an insidious onset and can often be missed by even experienced horse people. Knowing what to look for and how to help prevent it are keys to dealing with this condition

Shipping fever, as it sounds, initially presents as a fever of unknown origin in the horse. The true cause of the fever is a condition called pleuropneumonia or inflammation/infection of the lining or space between the lung tissues and the inside of the thorax.

This pleural space is usually occupied by a vacuum and a very tiny amount of fluid to help the lung slide along the inside of the thorax during breathing. In a case of pleuropneumonia, inflammation from infection or irritation of the lungs results in a build-up of fluid in the pleural space. The fluid serves as a breeding ground for bacteria and sets up this severe type of pneumonia.

The early signs of the condition are fever (greater than 38.5 C and often in excess of 39.9 C). The fever may only come in the morning or evening — it is not consistent, so if you are only checking the horse’s temperature once a day, it can be missed.

The horse will eventually develop a depression, shallow/rapid breathing, pale gums and start showing signs of colic — stretching out, geldings may look like they want to pee but do not, yawning excessively, pawing, looking at their flanks, etc.

It isn’t until further into the disease that horses will develop a cough. It is often late in the condition when this is noticed so you cannot rely on the animals coughing to show signs of shipping fever.

If a fever is noted, contact your veterinarian and begin monitoring the horse’s temperature at least twice a day. If the fever persists or rises above 39 C range, it is time to get your horse to your vet for assessment and possibly hospitalization.

Time is of the essence when it comes to pleuropneumonia, as the infection must be stopped and in many cases, the fluid around the lungs needs to be drained. In severe cases, the condition is lethal.

Prevention revolves around daily monitoring of the horse for fever, allowing ample rest periods during long hauls, leaving the head tied loose enough that the horse can reach their head down to clear their trachea of mucous, avoiding rapid climate changes for the horse during hauling and providing good hydration. If you would like more information about this condition prior to hauling your horses, give you equine veterinarian a call.

Chris Bell is an equine veterinarian and surgical specialist who operates Elders Equine Veterinary Service, with clinics in Cartier and Winnipeg. See www.eldersequineclinic.com.