Covering sickness

The dourine ( Dourine ) is a venereal disease of the horse. It belongs to the notifiable animal diseases.

After an incubation period of 2 and 26 weeks enter the clinical symptoms, edema, and ulcers on the genital mucosa, which subsequently become non-pigmented scars.

Caused by Trypanosoma equiperdum the Dourine is a classic deck infection that today only in Southeastern and Eastern Europe has meaning. The transfer takes place only when mating or by artificial insemination.

No treatment is currently not possible. Affected animals must be killed according to the animal health legislation in Germany according to the instructions of the official veterinarian. Equidae may be imported only with a negative antibody results from other European countries. In Austria, diseased, infected or contagious animals may not be used, mares may even not be used for breeding after healing, but must be marked on the left side of the neck with the letters BK ( § 37 TSG ).