Contagious Equine Metritis

Update (Dec 23) – Jos Mottershead and Kathy St. Martin have posted an article on Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) on the Equine-reproduction.com website. It sounds like testing and treatment costs can be significant. When Jos was asked if it was true that the cost could be in the $7000 range, he replied:

Stallions require multiple swabbing with growth of cultures from those swabs (although I gather that U-KY is donating the culture service), treatment with SMZ’s (in this case), washing with an antibacterial agent, packing with another antibacterial agent, and then ultimately test breeding of two mares live-cover who also have to have been swabbed clean prior to breeding and then swabbed again several times post-breeding. Remember that all of this is in addition to  quarantine measures for the affected animals, and also any other animal on the property. So yes, when one considers that all of this has to be done by a veterinarian, or (some of
it) under their supervision, testing and treatment costs are very expensive, although I cannot say it would be the figure quoted I have little doubt that it would quite likely be in that region.

external link to article on Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM)

Update (Dec 20) – Two more stallions have tested positive for CEM external link

A Quarter Horses stallion standing at stud in Kentucky has tested positive for a venerereal infection which is very similar to Contagious Equine Metritis. An investigation is underway to uncover other infected horses, as well as the source of the infection.

International shipping of horses has already been affected with some shipments being blocked altogether.

“The nation’s industries as a whole have expressed concern over this, because this is an organism that is not known to exist in this country, and our objective is to find, or determine as best we can, how this animal became infected,” Rusty Ford, equine programs manager in the office of Kentucky State Veterinarian Robert Stout.

Read more at Bloodhorse.com

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