MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — A veterinarian reported to the State Veterinarians's Office that a horse in Maricopa County was diagnosed with an equine strain of coronavirus last Thursday, according to the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
The equine strain of the virus is not the same strain referred to as COVID-19 and cannot infect humans, officials stated. This strain is affects horses very infrequently and, even when infected, many horses don't show clinical signs.
The East Valley Equine Practitioners stated that the coronavirus in horses is primarily an intestinal virus, and transmission between horses can be prevented by keeping facilities clean and properly dispose of manure.
Clinical signs, such as fever, diarrhea and lack of appetite, are usually shown after two to three days of infection, according to the Equine Disease Communication Center. The disease rarely results in death.
If you would like to learn more about the equine strain of the coronavirus, you can read the Equine Disease Communication Center's disease factsheet here.
