Horse Serious

Amid the current pandemic, plenty of people are wondering “can horses get COVID?” The respiratory disease primarily affects humans, but what about our horses. Here is everything you need to know about the Coronavirus and your horse. 

Can we contract or spread COVID to our horses? In short, the answer is no. There are several different types of coronaviruses, almost like one for every species. However, there is no one-size-fits all when it comes to these types of diseases. 

Can Horses get COVID 19?

There are types of coronaviruses that is very contagious in horses. This does put facilities like stables, farms and ranches at risk for outbreaks. These types of infections often occur during late fall and winter months. There are several symptoms that can indicate an infection:

• Loss of appetite

• Lethargy

• Mild colic

• Regularity changes

However, it is important to remember that horses and humans are not the same. So what may infect a human may not infect a horse and vice versa. If horses get COVID, it is actually an entirely different virus than what we see right now. 

What is a Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are part of diverse group of viruses that can be found in a large variety of hosts species. Most members of the coronavirus family cause respiratory or intestinal infections. There is a coronavirus for several species like cattle, pigs, cats, birds, horses and humans. However, the COVID-19 we are experiencing right now, is not the same type of coronavirus that will infect your horse. There is no evidence that equine coronavirus affects humans either. 

SARS and MERS belong to the coronavirus family. Some types are known to affect domestic animals. For example, pigs can get PED (porcine epidemic diarrhea), cats can get FIP (feline infectious peritonitis) and there is a equine coronavirus that is infectious to horses. However, these mentioned viruses are not zoonotic, which means humans are not at risk.