EHV at Thermal?

[spotlights]

My horse is currently at DIHP and I couldn’t be more impressed with management response. It’s unfortunate that people have been leaving, but could you imagine the response if DIHP locked the gates and said no one can leave?!

My barn sent a few horses home before the outbreak was discovered but has since announced that no further horses will leave - bummer for a few folks who were only doing weeks 5 & 6 but my trainer emphasized it’s the right thing for two reasons: 1/ limits exposure for horses at home, and 2/ travel is stressful for horses - stress on the immune system could make them more vulnerable to the virus. I appreciate that she’s thinking of both the heath of our horses and those not exposed.

It’s clear from the quick response by DIHP that they had an action plan ready. There are fences around quarantined barns with security guards posted. Horses are spread out so that barns can social distance from one another and horses within barns can be separated. My barn has instituted rules that no client is allowed inside the barn, we have to wait outside and have our horse brought to us. There is bleach and Lysol to sanitize boots, tack, etc. We’re not allowed to touch anyone else’s horse. If someone has multiple horses (oh the dream…) they must sanitize prior to handling the 2nd horse.

Don’t get me wrong, every time I get a call from my trainer I’m expecting the news that my horse has a temperature, but so far so good. I’m encouraged by yesterday’s news that no new horses had an elevated temperature. Hopefully it means we’re trending in the right direction.

[MustangTwist]

Glad your horse seems to be doing OK so far! Do you have any sense of what the plan is in the coming weeks?

[Angela_Freda]

Do you know if all horses on site are being observed including temp check? And is any authority logging those temp checks, beyond their own caregivers?

My horse who died from ehv1 was initially sick with a gastric issue, tar like diarrhea, and fatigue. Then the ehv1 took over.
Your trainer is smart to avoid stressing any potentially exposed animals.

[Jealoushe]

Thanks everyone who gave more information on these locations, I was looking at the websites but my computer wasn’t co operating!

Im crossing fingers for everyones horses.

[Bristol_Bay]

Also, there are several trainers at LAEC that participated in the horse show and were in close proximity to other horses at the in gate.

One of the horses euthanized boards at Hansen Dam. The euthed horse was in Barn 1 at the LAEC show. Another trainer from Hansen Dam was also in Barn 1, so I hope that facility is also taking precautions.

One of the trainers who deviated from the 7-day protocol keeps horses at a barn adjacent to mine, with the same BO. Some of the grooms work on both properties and my trainer is sharing everything she knows with management.

The trainer in the barn next to us was in Barn 2 at LAEC. We share turn out corrals with them, but as of today are segregated and doing temperature checks.

The irresponsibility and lack of consideration is just breathtaking, although in these times, hardly surprising.

Edited because should probably go in and sit down before posting.

[spotlights]

I don’t know what the plan is but I suspect it’ll highly depend on the next few days. In my opinion, if case numbers don’t improve in the next few days it’s better to cancel week 6 with the hope that they can run full shows by week 7 & 8. I’m sure DIHP management is dealing with a lot of opinions right now but - to their credit - they seem to be making decisions with horse health top of mind.

[spotlights]

I’m so sorry that you lost your horse. That had to be so scary and heartbreaking, I can’t even imagine.

I can’t speak to if/how DIHP is monitoring horses, including enforcing temperature checks, but I’ll be there this weekend so I’m sure I’ll learn more. I did appreciate that their guidance for horses with high temps was to call the onsite vet, rather than take the horse to the onsite clinic, presumably to avoid exposure to other horses.

[Mardi1]

“Reportedly several horses had come from Thermal to chase ribbons.”

Let’s put it this way instead: Reportedly several owners had come from Thermal to chase ribbons.

[Sticky_Situation]

Any vets or knowledgeable people here have any good sources for reading up on EHV1? I’m in human medicine so I have a basic understanding of how herpes viruses tend to behave, but most of the information I’ve found on EHV1 is pretty vague.

Is it thought these outbreaks start due to reactivation of a latent infection in a horse that is stressed due to competing, travel etc? Then that horse transmits the active infection?

Re: neurological versus non-neurological EHV1 … obviously not every horse develops neuro symptoms. Is it thought that there are certain variants of the virus that tend to be more likely to cause neurological disease versus simply respiratory symptoms? I’ve heard that vaccinated horses were hypothesized to be more likely to develop neuro symptoms … has this been confirmed? Is it because vaccination actually makes them more susceptible to neurological EHV1, or is it a case of it preventing more of the milder/purely respiratory cases so that horses with neurological involvement make up a greater proportion of the breakthrough cases? Are there any other known risk factors for neurological disease?

It seems like these outbreaks are constantly happening, usually at places with a really large number of well-cared-for but stressed horses traveling in and staying for weeks at a time … racetracks and big show circuits… in contrast to things like strangles that seems to hang out at sketchy sale barns and low end boarding stables.

I hope vets and scientists can figure out a way to prevent it from continuing to happen.

[EmilyM]

Last year when WEC had a case and subsequent high temperature horses prompted a quarantine (I believe they all came back negative) my vet told me (she was one of the on-site vets last year) that people in the quarantined barn pulled up their trailers and left despite vets protesting and state agencies calling for quarantine. They had to call security. I believe those folks’ names were given to the agriculturural agency that was involved. But I mean can you imagine the bold disregard for safety protocols?
I guess seeing how humans have behaved in a pandemic it’s not that surprising.

I can see not wanting to be trapped if your horse is healthy but seems like
Bold disregard for others.

[Horselove5]

@Sticky_Situation

Any vets or knowledgeable people here have any good sources for reading up on EHV1?

UC Davis

CDFA EHV Alert

[CurrentlyHorseless]

@Sticky_Situation

Any vets or knowledgeable people here have any good sources for reading up on EHV1? I’m in human medicine so I have a basic understanding of how herpes viruses tend to behave, but most of the information I’ve found on EHV1 is pretty vague.

Is it thought these outbreaks start due to reactivation of a latent infection in a horse that is stressed due to competing, travel etc? Then that horse transmits the active infection?

Re: neurological versus non-neurological EHV1 … obviously not every horse develops neuro symptoms. Is it thought that there are certain variants of the virus that tend to be more likely to cause neurological disease versus simply respiratory symptoms? I’ve heard that vaccinated horses were hypothesized to be more likely to develop neuro symptoms … has this been confirmed? Is it because vaccination actually makes them more susceptible to neurological EHV1, or is it a case of it preventing more of the milder/purely respiratory cases so that horses with neurological involvement make up a greater proportion of the breakthrough cases? Are there any other known risk factors for neurological disease?

It seems like these outbreaks are constantly happening, usually at places with a really large number of well-cared-for but stressed horses traveling in and staying for weeks at a time … racetracks and big show circuits… in contrast to things like strangles that seems to hang out at sketchy sale barns and low end boarding stables.

I hope vets and scientists can figure out a way to prevent it from continuing to happen.

I’ve read that even within EHV1, there are two strains; a “wild” strain that is referred to as non neurogenic, and a mutated strain that is referred to as neurogenic.

The problem is that even the so called non neurogenic strain can progress to EHM , perhaps at lower percentages than the so called neurogenic strain.

Early on DIHP downplayed the outbreak by saying that it was the non neurogenic variant. That may have been true. But then 3 out of the first 8 cases were EHM, which seems a high probability of neurologic symptoms.

I think you’re right that many horses have the virus in a dormant state, and it can become active. Outbreaks do seem to occur occasionally in closed herds. There is an earlier outbreak of EHV in Northern California, and I believe the trainer of the index horse is from Northern California.

[CurrentlyHorseless]

There was a major outbreak at the cutting horse national championships in 2012. Analysis of the data indicated that, conditional of being infected, a horse was 3 times more likely to progress to EHM if it had been revaccinated recently (within 5 weeks). There is a theory that too high a level of antibodies can create a situation in which the antibodies glom onto virus particles and create micro clumps which cause the blood vessel and nerve damage.

This is eerily like Covid, for which there was a theory that it was an overreaction of the immune system that created the severe cases.

So … it may not be a good idea for horse owners to rush out and get their horse boosted. Vaccination does seem to reduce respiratory symptoms and viral shedding of infected horses.

The CDFA website has information on both the outbreak and general information on EHV1 and EHM.

[banmharcach]

There were a lot of news clips last year when Europe had so much trouble with EHV outbreaks at the jumper tours.

News | World of Showjumping

I thought there was a summary --perhaps embedded in there somewhere–as to what they had learned re best practices at the time

ETA: see also https://inside.fei.org/fei/ehv-1

[Fiesta01]

So sorry you’re going through this. Keeping you, your horse and the other horses and owners concerned in my prayers.

[Bristol_Bay]

Just heard from my trainer that the entire facility is imposing a seven-day quarantine, so we’re two days in. Each trainer sticks to their own arena and turnouts, no touching other horses, no common sponges or towels. It’s just to be on the safe side. I’m relieved that everyone is doing this. If only the people who left DIHP had done the same.

[Paint_Party]

I was just thinking of you, and came here to post my sincere wishes for your horse’s well being. I’m so glad to hear that a quarantine is underway. It’s good to be vigilant.

((( COTH Jingles of Safekeeping to all the horses who may have been exposed )))

[Peggy]

From @Bristol_Bay: Just heard from my trainer that the entire facility is imposing a seven-day quarantine, so we’re two days in.

My question: Where facility = Hansen Dam? AKA Verdugo Hills.

Note - edited to add first paragraph after Bristol Bay’s post following this one in an attempt to add clarity.

[Bristol_Bay]

Sorry, Peggy, but I’m not understanding your post. Feel free to PM me!

@Peggy

Where facility = Hansen Dam? AKA Verdugo Hills.

[Bristol_Bay]

I don’t know what Hansen Dam is doing, quarantine-wise. I have a friend there in the barn that was next to the sick horse, but I don’t want to bug her when she’s probably stressed out. It’s so scary.