2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

In general, shedding did not increase long-term risk for nonsurvival, colic or abnormal feces after discharge of hospitalized horses nor did it increase risk for hospitalization or abnormal feces in stablemates. Despite these findings, it is still recommended to manage horses shedding Salmonella separately from other resident horses and to employ rigorous personal and environmental hygiene. Many field veterinarians eschew diagnostic testing for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia because of the time, labor, and risk to foals associated with obtaining a tracheobronchial aspirate. A real-time, quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for detection of R. equi in feces has been developed as a non-invasive, rapid diagnostic test for R. equi pneumonia, but has not been evaluated in a large population of foals.