Think…“Jaws music”…
Just when you think it is safe to go back in the water…
Update at The Horse shows cases by state (http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18296). Interesting that this article indicates that 4th horse in Oregon that was euthanized isn’t confirmed as EHV/EHM, yet the Oregon VMA says it was confirmed as EHM (http://oregonvma.org/resources/confirmed-ehm-case-oregon). Maybe just because The Horse article was published before results were released.
WSDA shows the change to 7 in the state now: http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/HotTopics.aspx.
Those of you with quarantines in place at your barn, how long are you keeping that in place? I’m talking about the places that have no known exposure, but are closed down to keep it out. As a new case shows up after this much time, makes me wonder about the length of quarantine and what is reasonable.
As of right now, our barn is closed to outside schoolers and events until June 1st, when they will re-evaluate based on the latest information. For what it’s worth, we are in Thurston County, WA.
I think it is heartening to the horse community as a whole in WA/OR that so far, 18 days after the horses headed home from Ogden, that so few cases have been confirmed–and those are all related to the Ogden horses.
I think that June 5 (21 days) is a reasonable time to reevaluate the quarantine situation. I think that if no new cases have come up by June 12, that H/J/D/E folks who don’t share barns with those who might have rubbed noses with Ogden horses should be comfortable (using good hygiene practices, still) getting out and about.
Does anyone know if there are more cases in AZ? According to The Horse, there was one case but the horse was euth’d. I swear I remember hearing there was like 4?
Newest USDA report for 5/26: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/ehv/ehv_2011_sitrep_052611.pdf.
Includes Arizona numbers, for the person that asked about it.
Five more cases reported in Utah today, according to the Salt Lake Tribune web site (posted about an hour ago):
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51894919-78/cases-utah-herpes-horses.html.csp
In this morning’s print edition (article may still be on the web site somewhere), it was reported that there were 7 confirmed cases and 8 suspected cases in the state, I assume that the five confirmed were among the 8. Four facilities in four counties involved. The article summarized (as of press time for this morning’s edition) 33 confirmed cases in 8 western states, with 7 horses dead (2 in Utah). Summary info includes that more than 300 horses from 18 states were exposed at the Ogden event, and 689 horses were secondarily exposed.
Ah: Here is a link to the recent articles in the Salt Lake Tribune. Second article down is the one in this morning’s print edition, note 3rd article down speaks to concerns expressed about exposure of feral horses on BLM land (and indeed my husband heard on the radio tonight that BLM has announced they are closing BLM lands to horse use to avoid spread of the virus to feral horses):
http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/sltrib/Search/index.csp?search=equine+herpes&x=28&y=12
I don’t suppose anyone knows where the Clackamas Co (Oregon) cases are (just the city is fine)?
Both my horses’ barn and the barn where I work are officially on no one in or out status until further notice. Because we had horses with work barn out and about recently, I am careful going from it to my horses’ barn (where no one has been off the property in the past month or so), and everyone else who works with multiple barns is being equally cautious. We can’t imagine anyone has been exposed, but it’s easy enough to wash up in between, so that’s what we’re doing. :yes:
The trainer who has my 4-year-old says there is no in or out “till green light usda” – not sure what that means, but I don’t really care because my boy is there till he sells. I think she’d let a potential buyer in but if she doesn’t – well, he’ll be really well-trained, won’t he LOL?
Another trainer I have worked with just sent an email with lots of recent show results but they were behind in getting the newsletter out and I don’t think any of the shows were post-outbreak. I don’t have a horse there nor do I have one I plan to bring in the short term, so I haven’t asked her for any details of their protocol.
Here at the home barn, no one comes or goes from the property much anyway so we are just sitting tight with no end date in mind – will just play it by ear and keep reading.
I’m in Western Washington – I read the list of affected counties and don’t even recognize some of them so I know they aren’t too close. [ETA I know there is one at Pilchuck in Snohomish but he came from Eastern WA to the clinic I believe…]
Depending on where in western WA, the Thurstin case may be of concern. (I do wonder how they are reporting the Whitman cases: are those all horses who originated in Whitman, or did WSU VTH cases (or at least the first one) haul in from other county(s)/states?)
Never mind on this one, I think my husband misheard the request by HSUS to close all land- at least that’s all I’m continuing to hear on the radio this morning, no action by BLM.
As mentioned earlier, utah has a few more suspected cases from horses who had contact with those that went to odgen. Here is a story on the local news about the rodeo queens using stick horses. I thought it was a creative solution and is also very respectful of the EHV problem. Keep the horses home to control the outbreak but be creative! Two thumbs up for the junior Queens!
Add my thumbs two, they are all queens!
I have a ‘gig’ tonight at the Eagle Mountain rodeo- we were supposed to unfurl a huge flag covering the entire arena on horseback, but we’ll be doing it on foot. With yesterday’s new cases we will stay in shutdown mode a good bit longer and even the fellow who wanted help moving cattle this weekend agrees, bad idea just now.
Kementari, I believe from previous posts that JoZ is up north so Thurston County shouldn’t be an issue for her. I can say (since I live in Thurston County) that most of the boarding barns down here have voluntarily closed their doors and the last two weeks I have noticed a considerable decrease in horse trailers on the I-5 corridor (haven’t seen any of the typical horse caravans coming and going to shows that you normally see on Thursday and Sundays/Mondays). Some think people are “panicking” but I am appreciative of everyone being a bit more cautious!
Kementari,
The rumor going around Pullman is that all of the horses that have EHV-1 are from out of the area and the ones that contracted it were only exposed because they were being treated for other conditions at the VTH. So I’m hoping that it has been contained within the VTH and hasn’t made it out to the community. Although, that being said, vet students have accidently brought strangles home from the VTH and spread it to their barns, so I’m glad I don’t board at a big facility.
New EHV-1 in Texas-unrelated to Utah cases
Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) Update May 27, 2011: The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has one confirmed case of the neurologic form of EHV-1 to report today. Preliminary investigation indicates no connection to the Ogden, Utah NCHA event. A Quarter Horse racehorse stabled in Ector County, TX displayed neurologic symptoms consistent with the disease, and ultimately tested positive for EHV-1. All horses on the premises are under quarantine and will be managed according to USDA recommendations for confirmed cases. Additional information is being gathered to determine if any other horses were exposed.
My question is “what cause this in the first place”?
It is certainly relevant and important that we are tracking current
cases to hopefully limit other outbreaks of the disease.
But Im wondering what happened to generate that first case in Ogden? Until we know that, how will we keep it from happening again?
[QUOTE=Linda;5629391]
My question is “what cause this in the first place”?
It is certainly relevant and important that we are tracking current
cases to hopefully limit other outbreaks of the disease.
But Im wondering what happened to generate that first case in Ogden? Until we know that, how will we keep it from happening again?[/QUOTE]
Nobody knows the answer to this question. These outbreaks have been occuring for many years. The last decade seems to have been the worst, but who knows, it could just be increased reporting… In the internet age information is rapidly spread across the country… there have certainly been many cases of EHV-1/EHM in the past, but now we really pay attention and record and report…
It will happen again, as it has in the past… prevention is using the best biosecurity practices you can, but anytime you mingle large groups of stressed horses together at an event, you have the potential for a disease outbreak… EHV-1 is one of many…influenza, strangeles etc…
I am very disappointed in the Arizona State Dept. of Agriculture… they have not updated their site or press release since May 18 and still only report one official case, and yet there are local rumors of others, and we’ve all read one thing straight from Al Dunning and yet been told another thing from the ag. dept., and the ag. dept.'s number and other numbers I’ve heard directly from area vets, or as “Dr.-So-and-so told me…” that I’ve heard from neighbors don’t match up. I just wish the ag. dept. would remain on top of it, and remain 100% transparent. I would think credibility would matter a lot to them. People just want, and need, to know what’s going on, because we have questions and are wondering what is or isn’t safe to be doing with our horses. Most barns are self-quarantining around here, anyway. But the official voice from the state needs to speak up again. They seemed to step up immediately – when the news cameras were on them and there was an opportunity to have the press take pictures and videos (I don’t want to be so jaded, but…) – but that’s been it from them.
Apparently there is a new case in California. The horse did not participate in the Ogden or Bakersfield events, but did cross paths with a horse that did attend. The US dept of Ag EHV site has the data.
