Page 68 - December 2017

reduce disease. Prebiotics are nutrients used by probiotics to increase their ability to colonize. Probiotics commonly used in horses include: Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophi- lus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus plantaru, and Saccharomyces boulardii. Fructooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, polydextrose, mannooligosaccharides (MOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), pectin, and psyllium are feed ingredients often used as prebiotics in horses. Although the efficacy of these products is not known, Saccharomyces boulardii decreased the severity and duration of diarrhea in one study in horses.
IsolatIon
Foals with infectious diarrhea should be separated from healthy foals. Horses and foals that have recovered from diarrhea may poten- tially shed infectious organisms in their feces and therefore should be isolated from healthy animals. During the isolation period, foals are often managed in a stall, but a small pasture or paddock that remains dry with good exposure to sunlight is also a possibility. Caregivers should wear rubber boots, gloves and protective clothing when handling sick or shedding ani- mals. Disinfectant foot-baths and hand disin- fection should be used after handling all horses to avoid inadvertent transmission from animals
shedding infectious organisms asymptomati- cally. Water and feed buckets, implements,
and grooming tools used on infected animals should be thoroughly cleaned with soap (Tide detergent), rinsed, disinfected, and dried before use on other animals. Salmonella may cause illness in humans, so farm personnel should be educated to practice best hygiene practices.
The period of isolation varies depending on the bacteria or virus involved in the dis- ease. A minimum isolation period of 14 days after resolution of diarrhea is often recom- mended for Clostridium sp. and Rotavirus. The average shedding period for Salmonella sp. is approximately 60 days; however, fecal testing is recommended before reintroduction to the healthy population. Five separate fecal samples should be collected and submitted for culture; negative results should be obtained on five consecutive samples before the animal is returned to the herd.
CleanIng and dIsInfeCtIon
Cleaning of stalls and barn aisles should begin with complete removal of all bedding and fecal material. Manure from animals that have had diarrhea should not be spread on pastures and should be disposed of where other animals will not gain access. Walls and floor (if solid) should be scrubbed with detergent
(e.g. Tide detergent) and water, and then rinsed. Disinfectants are applied after thor- ough cleaning; applicators that apply disinfec- tant as a foam at appropriate concentrations cover surfaces more thoroughly than sprayers. The majority of infectious agents are removed during the cleaning process and only a small percentage are removed by disinfectants. Dirt and organic debris inactivate disinfectants. Quarternary ammonium (e.g. Roccal-D) and peroxide (e.g. Virkon) disinfectants are readily available and among the most effective and practical. Spraying dirt floors with disinfec- tant is not effective. Drying of stall floors can sometimes result in decontamination. Removal and replacement of the top 6 inches of dirt can be another strategy for contaminated stalls. Replacement of stall floors with a cleanable surface should be considered when a high incidence of diarrhea is encountered.
Foal diarrhea can develop into severe fatal disease and can result in outbreaks in groups of foals. Outbreaks usually involve multiple etiologies rather than a single organism. Treatment is most effective when initiated in the early stages of the disease, so foals should be monitored closely for changes in behavior and increases in body temperature. Veterinary assistance should be sought early in the disease.
Foals with infectious diarrhea and those that have recovered from diarrhea may shed infectious organisms in their feces and should be isolated from healthy animals. Fecal testing is recommended before reintroduction to the healthy population.
66 SPEEDHORSE, December 2017
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