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9 EQUINE REVIEW
AUTUMN 2010
EQUINE TETANUS
FEATURE
Andy Cant BVM&S, Cert VR, MRCVS
Northvet Veterinary Group
O
f all the domestic species of animals,
horses are the most prone to contracting
the disease called Tetanus. So although
you may be familiar with the name it is important
to understand how a horse can become infected,
the serious nature of the symptoms and how the
disease can be prevented.
Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium
tetani and it can affect most species of animals
including man. It is one of the oldest documented
diseases, the typical spasmodic symptoms being
described accurately by Hippocrates
‘the father
of medicine’
in the 5th century BC.
Clostridium tetani has developed some clever
methods of surviving and causing disease. It is
widespread throughout the world in soil and
faeces and forms resistant spores which can
survive in the environment for long periods of
time, as an ever present risk.