Horse Owners in Madhya Pradesh: A Testing Guide

Horse owners in Madhya Pradesh most often need three things from a lab: disease screening for a sale or a journey, a parasite check, and a yearly look at general health. A vet takes the samples. The lab accepts them from stables and riding schools in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and other districts, and the vet reads the results with the horse.

Which diseases do stables get asked about?

Two serious diseases of horses are notifiable, which means owners should tell their veterinarian or the animal husbandry department if one is suspected. Buyers, events and authorities often ask for results.

• Equine infectious anaemia (EIA) spreads through blood, mainly by biting flies and shared needles. The Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) - Coggins / AGID Test looks for antibodies. A horse can carry EIA and look healthy.
• Glanders is a bacterial disease that can pass to people. The Glanders (Burkholderia mallei) Antibody Test is a screening blood test, and official confirmation is for the authorities. Because of the risk, a vet should take the sample and phone the lab first.

A negative result can miss a very recent infection, so a registered veterinarian may suggest repeating a test.

What about ticks and flies?

Horses in central India meet ticks and biting flies, especially in the rains. A tick-borne illness can cause fever, tiredness, pale or yellow gums and weight loss. The Blood Protozoa (Blood Parasite Smear) checks a drop of blood under the microscope for parasites, and a vet may add RT-PCR when a smear is negative but suspicion remains. Any horse with fever, weakness or pale gums should be seen by a vet without waiting for a test. Flies and ticks are hardest to avoid near water, in damp stables and on shared grazing, so stables in the rains often watch their horses more closely. Mention to your vet if other horses on the same premises are ill, because a group of cases points the vet toward an infection that spreads. Never move a sick horse to a show or to another stable while the cause is unknown.

How do you check for worms?

A Faecal Flotation Test (Worm Eggs & Oocysts) counts worm eggs in a fresh dung sample. It shows whether worms are present and how heavily, so that your vet can decide what to do and whether it needs repeating. Collect dung that has just been passed, put it in a clean lidded container and keep it cool, never frozen.

Is there a package for stables?

Stables that want several checks together can look at the Horse Disease Screening Pack, which groups EIA, glanders, surra and tick fever tests, and the Horse Health Check Panel, which covers blood count, liver, kidneys, muscle enzyme, a blood smear and a dung egg count. A package only bundles tests, and your vet can add or drop some. The lab confirms the exact list when you book.

How do stables far from Bhopal send samples?

Riding schools and breeders in Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and other districts use their own vet to draw blood and collect dung, and then send the packed samples by courier or bus parcel. Call the lab before dispatch. The lab will tell you the tube to use, how to label it and how to keep it cool. Blood for serum tests should not be shaken or left in the sun.

What should a horse owner keep on file?

Keep each report, the date, the horse's name or microchip number and the vet's name. If a horse travels to shows, camps or a new owner, these papers are often asked for. Photocopies are useful, but keep the original report safe. A simple notebook for each horse, with the dates of vet visits, results and any changes you noticed in appetite, weight or work, becomes very valuable when a new vet takes over or when a buyer asks about the horse's history. It also helps a vet judge whether a new result is a change or has always been that way for that horse.

Read next

If you are thinking of buying a horse, Buying a Horse: The Blood Tests Worth Asking For explains what a pre-purchase blood panel can and cannot show. For a horse that is just starting work, see Young Horse Health Checks Before Training Starts.

Testing in Bhopal

Your vet usually takes the samples, and the lab at C-200, C Sector, Shahpura, Bhopal accepts them. Sample collection is free anywhere in Bhopal, and other districts can use courier, bus parcel or their vet. Call or WhatsApp +91 88175 01118 so the lab can confirm the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.