Horse influenza, similar to influenza in humans, is a highly contagious viral disease of the upper and lower respiratory tract. Its classic progression makes it easy to distinguish from other respiratory diseases. With the exception of New Zealand and Australia, it occurs worldwide. It is the most common viral respiratory disease in horses. Despite almost universal vaccination, outbreaks of the disease continue to occur.
After a short incubation period of only twelve hours to three days, infected horses show classic flu symptoms. These mainly include a dry cough and recurring fever spikes with temperatures of up to 42°C. The inflammation of the mucous membranes causes a clear, watery nasal discharge. A particularly characteristic symptom of equine influenza is a severe, dry, and very painful cough that begins immediately after onset. As the disease progresses, the cough becomes increasingly moist with significant discharge.
Additional symptoms include breathing difficulties, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Complications can arise from secondary bacterial infections or failure to rest the horse properly. These include inflammation of the lungs and heart muscle. Rare cases of death are in most cases due to secondary infections and not to the influenza itself.
Equine influenza is highly contagious. It is transmitted by coughing within a radius of up to 40 meters through droplet infection. The virus can also be transmitted via dust, feed, cleaning equipment, other animals, or contact persons. A particularly large number of viruses are excreted during the incubation period. The risk of infection is particularly high in places where many horses from different farms come together.
If you notice that your horse has a fever and cough, you should have a thorough general examination carried out by your vet. The typical dry cough and high fever are clear indications of influenza. However, vaccinated horses in particular often show only mild symptoms. It is therefore advisable to have a direct or indirect virus test carried out in a laboratory. This can be done using a swab sample from the throat or a secretion sample from the lower respiratory tract. This also allows the exact type of virus to be determined. Sick horses should be isolated immediately and strict hygiene measures should be taken throughout the stable.
As this is a viral infection, there is currently no causal treatment for influenza. Treatment therefore focuses primarily on combating the symptoms. Painkillers and fever-reducing medication are used depending on the severity of the symptoms.
However, the most important aspect of recovery is to ensure that the sick horse is given complete rest. The mucous membranes need several weeks to regenerate. It is extremely important to observe the recovery phase in order to avoid further damage. If the horse is put under strain too early, purulent throat and lung infections or laminitis may develop. Optimal housing conditions with plenty of fresh air and clean feed should be a matter of course.
We protect the health of our horses with the influenza vaccination. Although the vaccination does not prevent the disease from breaking out in individual animals, it does mitigate its severity. In addition, widespread vaccination leads to a decline in outbreaks. It is important that all horses in a herd are vaccinated. The Standing Vaccination Commission for Veterinary Medicine (StiKo Vet), a committee of veterinary experts, recommends influenza vaccination as a "core component." Every horse should be protected against this disease at all times. Since the viruses regularly change their surface structure, vaccination must always be carried out against the currently circulating virus strains. There are combination vaccines that also cover tetanus. Vaccination is possible from the age of five to six months. For basic immunization, two vaccinations are given at intervals of four to six weeks, followed by a third vaccination five months later. After that, annual booster vaccinations are necessary. Vaccination of pregnant mares is recommended in the fourth to fifth and tenth to eleventh months of pregnancy.
Important for competition horses: The FN (German Equestrian Federation) and FEI (International Equestrian Federation) require a semi-annual influenza vaccination. In order to compete in FEI competitions, all influenza vaccinations must be carried out by veterinarians registered with the FEI and entered via the FEI HorseApp since February 3, 2025.
Your vet can send you a personalized vaccination schedule for your horse via petsXL. You will then automatically receive notifications when it is time to make another appointment.
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