You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Rhinovirus causes mild or subclinical respiratory disease in horses and ponies. 

Equine rhinovirus should not be confused with rhinopneumonitis (caused by Equine Herpesvirus). This virus causes mild respiratory disease and signs include :

• Infected horses may show no clinical signs at all
• Temporary fever - lasts only 2-3 days
• Discharge down the nose - watery or grey-green
• Inflammation of the throat
• Cough - due to inflammation of the windpipe (trachea) and bronchi (hence it causes a trachoebronchitis)
• Swelling of the lymph nodes in the pharynx - may be seen as swellings behind the angle of the jaw

60-90% of horses have antibodies against this virus so exposure is widespread. 

Tthere is no vaccine to prevent this viral disease. Also, there is no specific treatment against the virus, but antibiotics are helpful to treat any secondary bacterial infection.

Updated October 2013