Horses test positive for dangerous illness in Shelby County

MEMPHIS — Tennessee’s state veterinarian said two new cases of an illness that could kill horses have been found in Shelby County.

Two horses in Tennessee’s most populous county recently tested positive for equine infectious anemia, and their stable is under quarantine while other horses get tested, state veterinarian Samantha Beaty said in a news release.

Equine infectious anemia does not sicken humans, but the bloodborne illness is dangerous to horses because there is no vaccine or treatment, according to Tennessee’s agriculture department.

The sickness is transmitted through insects that bite or by using the same needle to inject horses. Owners are being asked to check for symptoms that may include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite or colic. Infected horses are permanently quarantined or euthanized.