PHF Found In 4 Horses In State

Four horses in Tennessee have tested positive for Potomac Horse Fever….or PHF. PHF is caused by bacteria thought to be carried by aquatic snail larvae and possibly flies. Horses that drink from bodies of stagnant water are at risk of getting PHF…which is not a threat to humans and is not contagious among horses. Signs of PHF can include anorexia, diarrhea, colic, fever, and laminitis. Signs of the disease can appear in 2 to 18 days after ingestion and can prove to be fatal if left untreated. Two of the cases that have shown up have been in east Tennessee…Hawkins and Sullivan counties. The other two were in middle Tennessee…in Robertson and Wilson counties. That horse in Wilson county had to be euthanized. There is a vaccine for PHF that can be given by a veterinarian. It is normally given about this time of year…mid-late summer.