ARCHIVE EQUINE NEWS STORIES

by VDACS news release, WSLS-TV 10, May 17, 2012

Dr. Richard Wilkes, State Veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), urges all horse owners to be mindful of biosecurity now that the summer show season is under way. "Any time and any place that horses from different farms gather together, there is always the possibility of transmission of disease," said Dr. Wilkes. "While we have not had any recent equine disease outbreaks in Virginia, owners need to be aware that horses can pick up diseases while traveling and bring them home to their own stables."

Recently multiple horses in Tennessee have shown clinical signs of the neurological form of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) resulting in Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) and are being monitored by their private veterinarians and the Tennessee State Veterinarian's office. The symptoms of EHM in horses may include a fever, nasal discharge, wobbly gait, hind-end weakness and dribbling of urine. The disease is often fatal. The virus is easily spread by airborne transmission, horse-to-horse contact and by contact with nasal secretions on equipment, tack, feed and other surfaces. Caretakers can spread the virus to other horses if their hands, clothing, shoes or vehicles are contaminated. EHV-1 poses no threat to human health.

Check out Equine Guelph Biosecurity educational programs