Colin Shumake
An Alachua equestrian veterinarian from Alachua, Florida is trying to inform horse
owners to get their horses vaccinated for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus. With this $20
vaccine, horse owners can prevent the almost sure death of their horse by this virus.
Erica Latcher, a University of Florida alumna and owner of Springhill Equine
Veterinarian Clinic, is trying to inform all horse owners about how important it is to get
their horses vaccinated for EEEV. The virus can only be transfer to a host by a mosquito
and can’t be transferred from horse to human.
“Realistically, the only animals that can get EEEV are mosquitos, birds, horses and
humans,” Latcher said.
Other animals don’t fall victim to this virus because their immune systems don’t
react to the virus. Once the virus has entered the body, there’ll only be subtle changes in
the horse’s behavior during the first day. It’s a five-day process for all the symptoms to
appear but by day two the signs will be obvious that the horse is sick.
“In equine terminology we call that ain’t doing right,” Latcher said.
Horses have a 99 percent mortality rate if they get the virus. The first symptoms
that a horse will have, is a high fever. After the high fever, they become unaware of their
surrounding and then eventually go into a coma. The only things that can be done to help
save the horse are to give it anti-inflammatories, food, water and nursing.
Latcher has devoted her life to treating and taking care of horses. At the age of 5 she
wanted to become an equestrian veterinarian and own her own practice. In 2007 she
bought a practice from her former employer to fulfill her dream.
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“I eat, sleep and breathe being a veterinarian so that I can be the best horse vet I can
be,” Latcher said.
When people come to ask her about her job and why she decided to work on horses,
she tells them to pick the passion and stay up to speed. At the UF veterinarian school
students have to pick whether they want to work on dogs, cats or horses. After graduating,
they can choose whether to specialize with large or small animals to be able to work on
multiple animals.
“There was already so much information pertaining to horses there was no reason
for me to specialize,” Latcher said.
Latcher is obligated by law to be available 24 hours a day and seven days a week
just incase a horse needs medical attention during non-typical work hours. She says that
“it’s not a job it’s a career” because she really doesn’t have actual closing time. Horses are
her main priority but if another occasional farm animal does need help and she can’t turn it
away.
“I love what I do more than anything in the world and I wouldn’t trade it for
anything,” Latcher said.
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Contact: Dr. Erica Latcher
Phone: 352-665-8222