Equine Herpes Virus

DEFINITIONS:

Confirmed Case: A horse which displays compatible clinical signs AND has a positive laboratory diagnostic test for the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus-1.
Compatible Clinical Signs: Any one or more of the following clinical signs: fever, nasal discharge, ataxia, hind end weakness, diminished tail tone, and/or recumbency.
Exposed Horse: A horse which has been in close contact with a confirmed case of the neuropathogenic strain of EHV-1 within the last 14 days.

Alert

CURRENT EHV-1 SITUATION:
ORANGE COUNTY:

January 18, 2012: Three new cases of neuropathogenic Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1) have been confirmed on the Orange County quarantined premises. There are a total of eight confirmed positive horses on the premises. At this point in time, only one of the eight cases has displayed neurologic signs. All exposed horses on the property are being monitored and enhanced biosecurity measures have been implemented. The source of the outbreak has not been identified. The initial epidemiologic investigation reveals no link to the three 2011 California neuropathogenic EHV-1 incidents.
January 15, 2012: There are no new cases. Due to the holiday weekend and laboratory closure, the next posting on this website will be Tuesday, January 17, 2012.
January 14, 2012: There are no new cases. CDFA continues to monitor the situation.
January 13, 2012: Two additional horses displaying a fever have been confirmed for the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus-1. There are a total of five confirmed positive cases on the Orange County premises. All horses on the property continue to be monitored.
January 12, 2012: Two additional horses displaying fever and respiratory signs have been confirmed positive for the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus- 1, on the Orange County premises. All horses on the premises remain under quarantine and being monitored for disease.
January 11, 2012: A gelding displaying neurologic signs from an Orange County premises was confirmed positive for the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus-1. The gelding has been isolated, quarantined and is under veterinary care. The large multi-discipline facility has been quarantined with no movement of horses on or off the property. The potentially exposed horses on the premises are being monitored. A full epidemiologic investigation at the affected premises has been initiated by the CDFA Animal Health Branch.

1. A contract is simply an exchange of promises. For example, a college student agrees to exercise your horse every Saturday if you allow her to ride him in three shows over the summer. Or you help out around the barn in exchange or a lower boarding fee. Maybe you and a friend agree to split the costs of hauling your horses to Florida next winter.
   All of these situations are contracts: Each person makes a promise and gets something in exchange. None of these were in writing-and that’s OK. An agreement does not have to be in
   writin to be considered a contract. An oral agreement is as binding as words on paper If one person backs out of the  agreement, even if tho; agreement was not in writing, the other person has legal recourse. He can sue, either for performance of the agreement or monetarycompensation.

Horses evolved as a prey species with large eyes-the largest of any mammal-set to either side of the head (predator species have eyes set in front of the face). This arrangement gives a horse a wide field of view-up to 350°-with a range of focusing abilities. He has blind spots directly behind and in front of his head, and the relatively narrow range of sharply focused, binocular vision is to the front and down the angle of a horse’s head toward his muzzle. This is why he lifts his head to look carefully at something in front of him. A horse’s eye does not have strong ciliary muscles to focus the lens, which is another reason he will move his head to bring an object into better focus.

Your horse may have had an eye problem or, because of skin coloring, may be more prone to develop eye problems. The following may significantly help your horse if made a routine part of your management.

There are 3 primary types of equine insurance: mortality, major medical, and loss of use.

Mortality insurance is the most common type of livestock insurance. You must make the appointment and pay for the examination of your horse. Mortality insurance policies are renewable annually. An insurance company may refuse or agree to insure a particular horse, a particular problem or a particular body part, such as the legs, at each annual policy renewal.

Southern California is battling intense summertime temperatures, a lot horse owners are struggling to assist their horses adapt, stay healthy, and stay comfy.  When coping with blistering temperatures, The most crucial thing an owner can do is supply the horses with plenty of fresh water. Clean water must always be available; an average horse drinks five to seven gallons of water per day in cool weather condition, while in hot weather condition, demands for maintenance and to compensate for losses in sweat could prompt consumption of 20 gallons or more per day. Adding an electrolyte supplement to your horse’s diet could assist  him drinking.

Sandbur may be the typical title for many yearly grasses which create burs along with several razor-sharp spines. These types of grasses develop within pastures,landscapes, areas, as well as roadsides. Area sandbur as well as longspine sandbur would be the 2 most typical varieties. The southern area of sandbur is actually an additional varieties that’s much more directly dispersed together the southern area of says. Each one is indigenous towards the Americas.

The most important part of any treatment is seeing that your horse or foal gets the total dose at the prescribed time for the total number of days as directed. Oral medications come in tablet, drench solution, paste, powder and granule forms.

Equestrian Doug Howarth has been a member of the Volunteer Patrol based out of Sweetwater Regional Park for about six years, having become more active in the past two years. Doug was brought up on a farm where his dad didn’t allow any “hay burners” so Doug had to bum rides from neighbors when he could. Then about 20 years ago he went to a dude ranch and rekindled the “horse bug”.

Handling Sick Horses

Immediately isolate sick horses away from the rest of the herd.

Follow disinfection techniques with allequipment that comes in contact with sick horses (see disinfection section).

Consult with Dr. Garfinkel about needed health care or vaccination protocols.

Carefully sanitize all stalls, buckets, flooringand other equipment when a sick horse leaves the facility.

Use a shallow basin full of properly mixed disinfectant for staff to wash their shoes in before leaving the area containing sick horses.

Offer hand sanitizers to any and all people who have touched sick horses before healthy horses are touched.