EHV-1 spreading among Horses

Whenever I see these articles about different diseases being spread in the States I can't help but let the horse therapy community know about it. Recently in California, eight horses have been confirmed with EHV-1. This is not contagious to humans, but it can spread through horses. Sometimes it's good to double check the horses if you are doing group equine courses or if your horse is going to participate with another in a horse therapy session. 

"Eight additional horses in Tuolumne County, Calif., are exhibiting clinical signs consistent with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) after a mare in that county tested positive for the neurologic form of the virus on Sept. 12, according to a statement from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The exact clinical signs each horse are displayed were not reported.

The initial confirmed positive mare, who was being treated at a referral hospital, has shown improvement and was returned to her quarantined premises in Tuolumne County for recovery, the statement said.

"Epidemiologic investigation is ongoing and the premises owner and CDFA has contacted potentially exposed horse owners that visited the affected premises over the past two weeks," the release read. "On Sept. 13 University of California, Davis, veterinary school staff collected samples (blood and nasal swabs) from 150 animals on the premises, including the eight demonstrating compatible clinical signs. Test results are anticipated within the next few days."

Steve Lyle, director of public affairs for the CDFA, stressed that only one horse has been confirmed as EHV-1 positive in Tuolumne County to date.

Further, the CDFA has relayed that a horse that participated in the Sept. 10 American Competitive Trail Horse Association Ride for Mustangs was exposed to the index horse prior to taking part in the ride.

"The exposure occurred prior to the ride and the exposed horse has not displayed any signs of disease," the release noted. "However, out of an abundance of caution, CDFA has contacted all ride participants to recommend isolation and temperature monitoring of horses which participated in the ride for 14 days from the last exposure."

Although it's not transmissible to humans, EHV-1 is highly contagious among horses and camelids, and it is generally passed from horse to horse via aerosol transmission (when affected animals sneeze/cough) and contact with nasal secretions. The disease can cause a variety of ailments in equines, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and myeloencephalopathy (EHM, the neurologic form).

Myeloencephalopathy is characterized by fever, ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the hind limbs, and incontinence. Should a horse display the aforementioned clinical signs and has been potentially exposed to the virus, a veterinarian should be called quickly to obtain samples and test for the disease."

 

Pegasus is an organization that brings recovery through Horse Therapy and Equine Courses to help people achieve an addiction cure! Visit PegasusEct.com for more information! :) 

Please support us by "Liking" our page at...Horse Therapy!