Some Colorado counties lifting horse ban after equine herpes outbreak - Coloradoan

GRAND JUNCTION _ Some Colorado counties are lifting temporary horse bans at county facilities prompted by an outbreak of equine herpes virus.

The Mesa County Fairgrounds said Friday it will lift its horse ban next week. That will allow next weekend's horse events including team roping and barrel racing competitions to go on.

Mesa County imposed the ban May 18 in the wake of an outbreak throughout the West that apparently originated at a horse show in Ogden, Utah, in early May. Nine cases of the disease have been confirmed in Colorado, including some on private property in Mesa County.

The Boulder County Fairgrounds announced Friday it would reopen to horses. In southern Colorado, Fremont County lifted a temporary ban last week.

The virus is highly contagious among horses but harmless to humans.
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Information from: The Daily Sentinel, http://www.gjsentinel.com/

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Love County horse farm gets all-clear from equine herpes - Daily Oklahoman

The outbreak of a highly contagious, deadly horse virus, equine herpes, has been contained in Oklahoma, officials say.

A horse in Love County was identified with the disease on May 20, treated and quarantined along with the other horses on the farm. The horse was the only Oklahoma horse at the National Cutting Horse Association national championship show April 29 to May 8 in Ogden, Utah, where several horses were believed to have been infected, said acting state veterinarian Michael Herrin. That horse is now healthy, as are the roughly 30 horses on the farm.

During the first week of the outbreak, there were 86 suspect/confirmed new cases in several states. The second week had 62 new cases. The third week had 10 suspect/confirmed new cases, and the fourth week had no new cases. The virus is considered contained.

The outbreak has affected only horses attending two events and horses directly exposed to that group upon returning home. The two events are the Utah event and the Kern County Cutting Horse Event in California. Affected and exposed horses in all states are under state quarantine or movement restrictions.

Oklahoma events that host horses of an unrelated type have no increased risk of disease exposure now than before this incident began.

There have been no changes in import regulations and no recommended event cancellations issued by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

The virus can lead to respiratory illness, neurological problems, paralysis and miscarriage in pregnant mares.

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Veterinarians, horse owners keep wary eye on equine herpes outbreak

Dr. Michael White, from left, treats Megan, a horse at Crossroads Equine Veterinary Services for a sinus infection as Ciara Wright keeps Megan calm Friday in Ringgold, Ga. White treats horses for various ailments at Crossroads Equine Veterinary Services. Staff Photo by Allison Carter/Chattanooga Times Free Press

An outbreak of equine herpes at an April horse competition in Utah has horse owners and veterinarians across the country watching their four-legged friends for symptoms of a potentially deadly virus.

“We’re relying on people being responsible about exposure,” Ringgold, Ga., veterinarian Dr. Michael S. White said.

White said he’s heard of no cases in Tennessee or Georgia, but local horse owners are worried about the potential spread of the virus. An outbreak of the contagious disease appears related to a cutting horse show in Ogden, Utah, last month.

Equine herpes usually causes mild, flulike symptoms, but the virus can cause some respiratory or neurological problems that in some cases can lead to death, according to officials.

Respiratory disease is most common in weaned foals and yearlings, but older horses are more likely to transmit the virus without showing signs of infection, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners. There are several strains, but the one involved in the Utah outbreak is the most dangerous and poses more of a risk of abortion in mares.

“The biggest problem with herpes virus, just like in people, is that particular virus likes to go latent. Then whenever you’re in a stressful situation, it can rear its ugly head again,” White said.

There are vaccines available for the strain that causes respiratory problems and abortions, he said, but the vaccines do not protect against the strain that produces neurological problems.

While there are no known local cases, state veterinary officials are making information available to horse owners to prevent the spread of the disease here.

A notice from Tennessee State Veterinarian Charles Hatcher’s office warns owners that the virus is “highly contagious” among horses. However, there is no threat to humans, spokesman Tom Womack said.

Womack said horse owners should watch for symptoms that indicate infection including fever, coughing and nasal discharge; and in foals, weakness, jaundice and respiratory distress. Neurological symptoms include poor coordination in the limbs, urine dribbling or retention, bladder weakness and the inability to get up after lying down.

University of Tennessee associate dean for research and graduate studies at Veterinarian Medical Center Dr. Michael F. McEntee said members of the horse community usually respond quickly when disease starts to spread.

“With something like that that’s starting to pop up, people are pretty good about relaying information,” McEntee said. “The word gets around.”

White said he got a lot of phone calls, especially during the first few weeks after the Utah outbreak.

“I had a couple of [horse owners] who were going to a clinic in Texas, and they were really concerned because that’s getting on out there where the herpes virus has been seen,” White said.

Dayton, Tenn., horseman J. Larry Simpson said he was worried about the virus when he took his horse, Bojangles Midnight Blaze, to Texas on May 8, the day the Utah event closed. Simpson, a contestant on the reality television series “America’s Favorite Trail Horse,” took his horse to the Lone Star state for auditions and taping.

“I was worried about it because there were horses there from all over America,” he said. “Just about every state had horses there.”

After Simpson and Blaze returned home, he called his veterinarian and fellow horse owners to make sure everyone was alerted and taking the proper precautions.

Blaze has had no symptoms and is ready for her run for the reality series’ top spot this fall, he said.

Simpson said the outbreak is affecting competitive events as summer arrives, such as the trail event the association he belongs to holds.

“The American Competitive Trail Horse Association has canceled 100 competitive trail rides in June,” he said.

Simpson, who’s a member of the trail horse association, said each of the 100 rides typically attracts about 40 horses.

Other events are affected, too.

For the first time in its 32-year history, the National Pony Express Association is postponing its annual re-enactment of the famous ride from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sacramento, Calif., this summer because of the outbreak, The Associated Press reported.

Simpson said another competition he planned to attend in Arkansas was canceled.

“They’re trying to keep it from spreading and to give it a chance to die out,” he said.

The competitive horse rider said he is taking precautions with Blaze in the meantime. He plans to go to a show in Alabama this weekend.

“I’ll just make sure she is stalled in such a way that she can’t touch another horse,” he said. “I’ll make sure when I’m on her, that I don’t let her touch noses with another horse. No kisses.”

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Equine herpes appears in Montana

Montana horse owners have watched as equine herpes has plagued other Western states and now they must fear for their own.

The Montana Department of Livestock announced Saturday that a horse in Gallatin County has contracted the disease EHV-1. The 13-year-old horse attended a cutting horse competition in Ogden, Utah, at the beginning of May where at least eight horses from Western states were infected with the oftentimes fatal disease.

The Gallatin County horse isn't showing any of the debilitative symptoms yet, so veterinarians may have caught it in time.

However, EHV-1 can have a wide range of symptoms, from a complete lack of clinical signs to fever, nasal discharge or more serious neurological symptoms, at which point it is characterized as equine herpes virus myeloencephalopathy.

A lack of coordination, hind-end weakness, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone are frequent signs of myeloencephalopathy. Associated paralysis can lead to death.

The virus is easily spread through the air, by horse-to-horse contact and by contact with nasal secretions on equipment, tack, feed and other surfaces.

People can spread the virus to horses by means of contaminated hands, clothing, shoes and vehicles.

Many regional horse competitions have been postponed or cancelled because of the equine herpes outbreak.

For more information on the disease, go online to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/ehv/

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Further Update On Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 Cases - Standardbred Canada

Published: June 4, 2011 12:52 am ET

Equine Canada’s Health and Welfare Committee is sharing the following status update on Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 (nEHV-1) received Friday, June 3 from Alberta and Western Canada. This information comes as a result of consultations among the Chief Provincial Veterinarian for Alberta, members of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, faculty members, University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, local Albertan equine practitioners, in addition to veterinarians from British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

To date the reported positive cases of nEHV-1 in Alberta are as follows:
• One neurological case (now recovered) first found positive at the start of May.
• Three cases positive with mild respiratory signs/fever are all now recovered.
• Four PCR positive horses, showing no clinical signs.
• One new neurological case, responding well to treatment, that attended cutting events in Alberta.
• One of the previously ‘suspect’ neurological cases in Northern Alberta that was at the cutting competition in Lloydminster (reported in last update).

To date suspect cases of nEHV-1 in Alberta are as follows:
• One previously reported neurologic case. The mild neurological signs are almost resolved and the horse remains under quarantine. To date testing has been negative.
• The second suspect with mild neurological signs in Northern Alberta that was at the cutting competition in Lloydminster (reported in last update) still remains in the suspect list.
• New neurological suspect case from Central Alberta was euthanized due in part to complications with previous significant medical conditions. Testing is pending.
• New neurological suspect case with mild fever from Central Alberta. Testing is pending.

The update in Saskatchewan, from the Prairie Diagnostic Services laboratory, indicated a single confirmed case that was present at the Lloydminster competition. Previously reported cases in February 2011, from this laboratory, are not considered part of the current EHV-1 outbreak.

The update in British Columbia, from the Animal Health Centre laboratory (Ministry of Agriculture), indicated two positive nEHV-1 cases confirmed through the laboratory. These cases had either direct or indirect contact with horses that were at the Ogden, Utah competition.

It appears all of the cases and suspected cases remain in horses associated with the cutting horse industry.

All other disciplines outside of the cutting industry continue at this time to be considered low risk. The decision to cancel competitions and shows in other disciplines should be made in partnership with their associated veterinarian to develop a risk assessment of each situation. Excellent resources on biosecurity protocols for the equine community can be found on the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association website, and the equestrian federation websites of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The following is an earlier statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA):

Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) is a disease present in Canada and is not a federally controlled disease. Subsequently, in accordance with international guidelines, CFIA has no authority for requesting certification related to this disease from the United States Department of Agriculture when importing horses from the United States (US). Import conditions for all horses entering Canada from the US will not be changed in relation to the recent reports of EHV cases in the US. However, as always, imported horses need to comply with all current Canadian import conditions. In addition, arrival of unwell horses at the border can affect the import process.

Equine Canada is working with the offices of Canada’s chief veterinarians to monitor the situation and keep our members abreast of developments. We will post new information and status updates regarding EHV-1 neurological cases on our website at www.equinecanada.ca.

(Equine Canada)

Related Stories

• Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus -1 Update
• Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus -1 Reported In The United States And Canada
• Be On The Alert For EHM

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Equine virus prompts postponement of 1st Gold Miners Rodeo in Elko - Republic

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ELKO, Nev. — The outbreak of a highly contagious equine virus has prompted the postponement of another Elko rodeo.

The Elko Daily Free Press reports the first Gold Miners Rodeo planned for Monday night at the Elko County Fairgrounds has been postponed.

Organizer Jess Jones says a new date for the rodeo has not been set, even though he's still accepting entries.

The rodeo had been scheduled to tie in with the Mining Expo on Thursday and Friday in Elko, and was to feature teams from local mines.

The virus, Equine Herpes Virus-1, also prompted the postponement of the June 1-3 Senior Pro Rodeo in Elko.

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Information from: Elko Daily Free Press, http://www.elkodaily.com/

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Equine herpes outbreak prompts warning from Ehlenfeldt - Chippewa Herald

MADISON –  A new outbreak of an often fatal disease in horses has prompted State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt to warn horse owners of the need for good biosecurity, and that includes always isolating horses when they return from shows or competitions.

Horses from at least 29 states, including two in Wisconsin, may have been exposed to equine herpes virus-1 or EHV-1, at a recent Utah competition. There is no human health threat.

“Any time you bring horses back from a situation where they’ve been exposed to other horses, you have to assume they may also have been exposed to disease,” Ehlenfeldt says. “Do yourself a favor and isolate them, so you’re not risking your other animals. The same is true for any species you take to shows.

“If a horse gets infected with EHV-1, there’s nothing anyone can do except try to make the horse more comfortable. The infection may run its course, or it may kill the animal. There’s no treatment, and no vaccine for the worst strain that attacks the central nervous system. That’s why prevention is so important, and you need good biosecurity to prevent disease.”

An online listing shows nearly 100 horse shows in Wisconsin between now and October, in addition to fairs and trail rides where horses from different farms may be mingled. Owners who take their horses to such events need to beware, the State Veterinarian says.

The outbreak came to light when two horses in Colorado became ill after returning from the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah, April 29 through May 8.  A horse in Washington has also tested positive after returning from the same show. That horse was a patient at the veterinary hospital at Washington State University, restricting access to the hospital for other horses. In all, horses from 29 states and Canada competed in Utah and may have been exposed.

Ehlenfeldt recommended these biosecurity precautions to prevent introducing disease:

• Isolate for seven days new horses and those returning from shows or anyplace where they’ve mingled with other horses.  If they were exposed to confirmed EHV-1 infections, isolate them at least 21 days after returning.

• Encourage barn personnel and riders to wear leather or rubber footwear that can be disinfected, and keep a disinfectant tub with a 1:10 bleach-water solution at the barn entrance.  Ask all visitors, including blacksmiths and veterinarians, to step in the disinfectant wash before entering the barn, and change the solution daily.

• Wash hands before handling horses.

• Don’t share water buckets, feed tubs or stalls among horses.

• Segregate horses into the smallest possible groups to limit the number of animals exposed if one is infected.

• Take rectal temperatures daily.  Isolate any horse that has a temperature over 101 degrees F.  or any other sign of illness, and call a veterinarian.

EHV-1 is one of nine equine herpes viruses, and one of the three most serious. It may affect the respiratory, reproductive, or central nervous system.

EHV-1 spreads when horses in close contact cough or sneeze, and on contaminated hands, water and feed. It can cause abortion in pregnant mares and death in foals.  The neurologic strain may cause horses to be uncoordinated and unable to stand and to produce urine and manure.  They may also have swollen, inflamed legs and hemorrhages on their gums.

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Two Equine Herpes Cases Confirmed in Washoe County

RENO - The Nevada Department of Agriculture has confirmed the second and third cases of equine herpes in Nevada today. This time the horses infected are from Washoe County.

Dr. Annette Rink of the state Department of Agriculture said the two Washoe County cases involve horses that were boarded with a horse that participated in a recent competition in Ogden, Utah.

Both horses are being monitored closely, Dr. Rink said.

The virus outbreak was detected earlier this month after of a regional cutting horse competition in Ogden. Equine herpes, which is not transmitted to humans, is extremely contagious, with this emergent form attacking the animal's central nervous system.

Multiple equine events throughout the country and Canada have been canceled to help prevent the spread of the disease. The Ogden event drew participants from more than two dozen states and some parts of Canada.

Symptoms of equine herpes include fever, decreased coordination, nasal discharge, loss of tail tone, hind limb weakness and inability to rise. Horses may also lean against structures such as a fence or barn to maintain balance.

Posted by: Oh Boy!!! Location: California on May 28, 2011 at 07:43 AM
These 2 comments are so lame! Neither of you know or understand what this is, in the equine world. It's like a flu, not an STD! Take your ridiculous, lame comments to that crazy site your talking about. One has NOTHING to do with the other. This virus in horses can not even be passed on to a human. WOW...what a couple of uneducated nuts you 2 are (Justin and suadwu).

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Equine herpes numbers rise in the west

LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. - Across ten states, 12 horses are now dead, and 72 others are suffering from an outbreak of equine herpes. There are reports that the sickness is spreading among competition horses.

"When your horse comes down, he's not riding alone. He's riding down with about six other horses," said Jennifer Swanson the co-founder of Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue, in Loxahatchee.

Symptoms of the virus include fevers of 102 degrees or higher, nasal discharge, weakness, and an inability to stand.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture equine herpes virus myeloencephalopathy can spread through the air, contaminated equipment, clothing and hands.

People like Swanson are being vigilant when it comes to the health of their horses.

"It transfers very easily. You can lose a horse before you realize there's even a problem," said Swanson.

Equine herpes is highly contagious, and once a horse has it, there is no cure. 

"A few years ago, some great, great horses were lost because of an outbreak," said Swanson.

The Florida Department of Agriculture is trying to stop the disease from spreading here.

"Everybody has to have a health certificate to get into the state, that they check right at the border. They've communicated very well with us. Told us what horses we should and shouldn't get. What states to be concerned about," said Brad Gaver, Swanson's partner in her horse-rescue endeavor.

The folks at "Pure Thoughts" say, it still pays off to be careful when it comes to transporting horses.

"If you have a show horse that's shipping around, going from show to show, state to state, possibly traveling with other horses. If you're expecting a horse in...I would want to know who it's traveling with? What farms is it coming from?" said Swanson.

Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Equine herpes outbreak kills 12 competition horses

LOXAHATCHEE, FL (WFLX) - Across 10 states, 12 horses are now dead and 72 others are suffering from an outbreak of equine herpes. There are reports that the sickness is spreading among competition horses.

"When your horse comes down, he's not riding alone. He's riding down with about six other horses," said Jennifer Swanson the co-founder of Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue, in Loxahatchee.

Symptoms of the virus include fevers of 102 degrees or higher, nasal discharge, weakness, and an inability to stand.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, equine herpes virus, 'myeloencephalopathy', can spread through the air, contaminated equipment, clothing and hands.

People like Swanson are being vigilant when it comes to the health of their horses. "It transfers very easily. You can lose a horse before you realize there's even a problem," said Swanson.

Equine herpes is highly contagious, and once a horse has it, there is no cure. "A few years ago, some great, great horses were lost because of an outbreak," said Swanson.

The Florida Department of Agriculture is trying to stop the disease from spreading here. "Everybody has to have a health certificate to get into the state, that they check right at the border. They've communicated very well with us. Told us what horses we should and shouldn't get. What states to be concerned about," said Brad Gaver, Swanson's partner in her horse-rescue endeavor.

The folks at "Pure Thoughts" say it still pays off to be careful when it comes to transporting horses. "If you have a show horse that's shipping around, going from show to show, state to state, possibly traveling with other horses. If you're expecting a horse in. I would want to know who it's traveling with? What farms is it coming from?" said Swanson.

Copyright 2011 WFLX. All Rights Reserved.

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