Get Me Equine Test Request Form 2010-2025

Without treatment, EPM will progress to severe paresis (weakness) and possibly recumbency (an inability to rise). This can occur over a matter of hours or years, depending on the case. With treatment, approximately half of infected horses will stabilize in their current state.

neurona–and the vast majority show no signs of disease. In addition, some surveys suggest that, nationwide, some 5O percent of all horses carry antibodies to S. neurona. As a result, the blood test alone is generally considered useless in diagnosing EPM, and some veterinarians prefer to by- pass it altogether.

Outcome. About 60 to 70 percent of horses treated for EPM will improve, and 15 to 25 percent will recover completely. Starting treatment early will lead to the best results. The greatest amount of improvement is seen within the first four weeks.

The test costs $61 per sample and the results usually come back within a week. Spinal tapping allows your veterinarian to look at your horse's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

In general, if titer values are 1:250 or less, then either the disease is not likely or the horse's immune system has not mounted an appropriate response to the parasites. Elevated titers (1:500 and greater) are indicative of an appropriate immune response to active infection.

The standard of practice for diagnosis is to perform a complete neurological exam, accompanied by laboratory tests that detect an immunological response to infection. Testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), with a paired serum, is more predictive of active disease than serum alone.

To get a definite EPM diagnosis, veterinarians must confirm: Neurologic signs consistent with EPM. ... Elimination of other differential diagnoses. ... Evidence of intrathecal (within the cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) antibody production against neurona and/or Neospora hughesi (another causative yet less common protozoa).

Nutritionally Supporting Horses with EPM Levels of 5,000 to 10,000 IU per day are recommended during treatment. Blood Vitamin E levels can be monitored and the amount that is fed can be adjusted for longer term use at higher levels, if necessary.