The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is encouraging all horse owners to go to its EHV-1 website, for updates on the outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1) in several western states.
A horse button on the homepage will take readers directly into the EHV site which contains updates on the situation, as well as fact sheets and biosecurity information.
VDACS recommends that horse owners and managers be aware of the signs of EHV-1 and practice good biosecurity to limit the spread of infection. Horse owners should also consult their veterinarians about the immunization status of their horses.
Equine herpes is a highly contagious infection among horses that can be fatal and may spread when stressed-out show horses come together for competitions, according to animal health experts.
Supporting horse owners and veterinarians in their efforts to keep their horses healthy, animal health company Merial has launched its “Outbreak Alert” program, which will be used to notify horse owners about reports of equine disease throughout the country, as well as build a greater awareness of those diseases and the importance of prevention.
Many diseases pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of horses. Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has a mortality rate estimated to be as high as 90 percent.
Every case of rabies presents a death sentence to the infected horse – and a risk of infection for other horses.
Potomac horse fever (PHF) can lead to severe complications or death, which occur in up to 30 percent of infected horses.
One out of three horses that gets sick from West Nile virus (WNV) dies or must be euthanized.
While these statistics are alarming, horse owners can help minimize the risk of disease by being armed with information.