The California Dressage Society has announced that fewer scores will be required to qualify for their Amateur Championships (AKA RACC).
“Due to 17 shows being canceled in light of the EHV outbreak, CDS has decided to lower the number of scores needed to qualify for the RAAC for 2011. Competitors will now only need ONE score from ONE judge to qualify for any RAAC in 2011.”
[QUOTE=Analterpony;5644752]
According to the California Departmnt of Food and Agriculture, www.cdfa.ca.gov there are two new cases in California - both are at the same barn with a horse who tested positive after Ogden.
What scares me the most about it is the relatively long incubation period … poor horses :-([/QUOTE]
I would be interested to find out which barn it is since the horse was at Ogden. Someone broke bio-safety protocol at that barn, or they didn’t have a proper quarantine area?
I am curious if the big cross country shipping companies are doing anything to curtail the risk of bringing this to the East Coast?
Are they halting shipments, or anything like that? Personally I would be worried about shipping cross country right now, seems like a easy way to transmit this disease.
I managed to go to England during the H1N1 outbreak, got sick with it, and afterwards was on a plane back with so many sneezing people, I wasn’t surprised that it spread so quickly! Transportation obviously is a huge vector in any disease.
Here in Utah, The state veterinarian posted that no events should be cancelled and horse activities should continue. Yet, the Days of 47 Horse parade just announced that it would be cancelled this year and that does not usually take place until July ( July 24 utah holiday, Horse parade normally takes place a week before). http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=15824881
The Utah all breed association has a June show but that one has been moved to July to be combined with the July show.
Yet our state vet says to not cancel events as the ‘spread is minimal’. http://ag.utah.gov/news/EquineHerpesOutbreak.html
The local eventing group is having their Chicken Event at the Golden spike arena ( where the outbreak started in May) today. That was not cancelled.
It is all very confusing and personally, I do not know what to do. I have Jumper shows later this month that have not been cancelled, one next weekend at an county equestrian park (this location has not had any problems,… yet). I do not want to panic, state vet says to keep going to shows - no concerns, yet other groups are cancelling rather big events like a parade. 
Waiting for new jobs. very successful.
Reported!
[QUOTE=jenm;5645176]
I would be interested to find out which barn it is since the horse was at Ogden. Someone broke bio-safety protocol at that barn, or they didn’t have a proper quarantine area?[/QUOTE]
Well, I found out how it happened because my horse was getting a massage yesterday and the woman who works on her is from that area. (she isn’t going to any of the barns there and follows strict bio-security here) It turns out the two newest cases are in a barn across the road from a barn that had horses competing in Ogden.
[QUOTE=jenm;5647097]
Well, I found out how it happened because my horse was getting a massage yesterday and the woman who works on her is from that area. (she isn’t going to any of the barns there and follows strict bio-security here) It turns out the two newest cases are in a barn across the road from a barn that had horses competing in Ogden.[/QUOTE]
Wow!
[QUOTE=CDE Driver;5647114]
Wow![/QUOTE]
Based on the conversation I had with her, it’s a wonder this virus isn’t more wide spread. Apparently people are being careful with their fancy cutting horses, but not as cautious with the “turn back horses” (I think that’s what they are called). So the extra horses that went to the show may have been exposed but because they aren’t the show horses, they were not necessarily being checked like the show horses were.
What was also scary was hearing how a vet from that area signed off on a horse’s paperwork so a woman could sell/transport the horse to Nevada. The vet never checked the horse, just allowed it to leave the area and cross state lines.
[QUOTE=jenm;5647152]
Based on the conversation I had with her, it’s a wonder this virus isn’t more wide spread. Apparently people are being careful with their fancy cutting horses, but not as cautious with the “turn back horses” (I think that’s what they are called). So the extra horses that went to the show may have been exposed but because they aren’t the show horses, they were not necessarily being checked like the show horses were.
What was also scary was hearing how a vet from that area signed off on a horse’s paperwork so a woman could sell/transport the horse to Nevada. The vet never checked the horse, just allowed it to leave the area and cross state lines.[/QUOTE]
Okay…double WOW now! I am so surprised that a vet would do that!
And yes, the term is “turn back horses” 
It’s a tough call. And I admit I don’t have total confidence in the efficiencies of our fair state’s systems. The most recent confirmed case, this past Tuesday, is in Salt Lake County (just south of Dimple Dell). I was told about this case by a friend 3 weeks ago- a horse that competed in Ogden- and yet they did not report any ‘suspected’ cases in Salt Lake County until they up and confirmed this one.
Personally, I skipped riding in the Eagle Mountain Parade with the Pony Express yesterday in lieu of some trail work for Back Country Horsemen. The All Horse Parade was canceled for the same reason that this year’s Pony Express run has been rescheduled to August- many of the people (especially organized groups) that usually participate simply did not want to undertake even minimal risk.
Mind you, horses always run the risk of catching some form of cooties at shows, just not generally one that is potentially lethal.
The state vet, like other state vets, has mainly taken the position he has (in my opinion) because of the liability issue- states don’t want to be considered responsible for the loss of revenues, loss of entry fees, and etc.
I did go to the Eagle Mt. rodeo w/o horse last week and I noticed participants were careful to give plenty of buffer space between trailers (there are no stalls at that facility) and the corrals containing the rough stock were well buffered from those hauling in. It’s only the second year for that rodeo (it’s PRCA) but I would say entries were down compared to the rodeos that occur all summer long.
I can’t honestly say what I would do if I were in your shoes re show next weekend. I suppose I’d see whether any new cases crop up (especially in SL County) and if I decided to go, I would for sure show out of the trailer and park it far, far away from others.
We are still not allowing horses at our barn to go to shows/large gatherings and prospective new boarders are still having to wait- but some folks are starting to take short rides around the neighborhood, that’s possible to do on a number of trails without encountering other horses- or having plenty of room to maneuver if you do.
My understanding is that days of '47 parade was cancelled due to the lack of entries–which I think is why most of the future shows that have been cancelled have gone that way.
Personally, I’m leaving it another week, then I’m going to start doing entries for July if things seem to have stayed calmed down. However, I won’t be stabling overnight at any shows and will be showing out of my trailer. I have a horse that can’t be vaccinated, so we are normally the antisocial shunners at the far end of the parking lot anyway…
If any new cases crop up, I will reconsider my plan. Sigh. Horse is in tip-top shape and ready to rock and roll for the first time in 3 years, of course. But his safety comes first.
OR and WA vets issue resume normal activities statement
Just last week my vet said to me that if we could go 2-3 weeks without outbreak we were probably out of the woods. One week later:
http://oregonvma.org/resources/confirmed-ehm-case-oregon OR 5 active cases. 1 death.
http://www.agr.wa.gov/News/2011/11-14.aspx WA 8 active cases. 0 deaths.
Lets just hope that no people from OR or WA drive into active states, mingle, and then bring it back.
Has anything been reported about the vaccination status of the horses who have been affected by this outbreak?
Coconino?
A friend and I are debating going to Coconino in Flagstaff in a few weeks, but we’re concerned about EHV-1. I know that going or not going is a decision only I can make, but I was wondering who else is going and if you’re concerned, or if you feel it’s basically over.
Just saw this update from CDFA. Three confirmed cases in Sonoma County, California.
August 24, 2011: Two additional EHV-1 cases confirmed
Two (2) additional horses on the affected premises have been confirmed positive by nasal swab for the neuropathogenic strain of EHV-1. The only clinical sign displayed by these two horses was a fever. The affected premises is under quarantine and the thirteen (13) other horses currently on the property are being monitored. Current epidemiologic investigation findings indicate minimal risk of disease spread from this closed premises.
August 23, 2011: Confirmed case of EHV-1 neurotropathogenic strain
On August 23, 2011, a 15 year old Oldenburg mare from Sonoma County has confirmed positive for the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus-1. The mare is isolated, quarantined and undergoing treatment at a veterinary referral hospital. The premises of origin is under veterinary observation and the potentially exposed horses temperatures are being monitored twice daily. Epidemiologic investigation conducted by CDFA reveals minimal disease risk based on lack of animal movement on and off the affected premises. The investigation has determined the positive horse has no direct link to the May 2011 outbreak of EHV-1 in cutting horses which resulted in 22 positive confirmed equine cases in California. CDFA staff will continue to monitor the situation to ensure disease control.
I am curious too about the efficacy of vaccination?
Anyone know?
tia
I’m not sure where to post this, but this seems most apropoe.
I lost a mare last thursday to what has turned out to be EHM. I’ve had a closed herd for over 2 months, and this mare hasn’t been off the property for over a year. Neither of the neighboring farms goes anywhere or does anything with their horses. So it seems that this is a spontaneous infection, on an otherwise healthy horse. My farm has been under quarantine since the horse got sick last wednesday, and now it’s under official quarantine until I have 21 consecutive days of the rest of the horses on the property with normal temperatures. Once I knew it was EHV-1, on this wed. I started taking temps 2x daily. And EVERYTHING has been pulled apart and bleached/lysoled/both. Been meaning to do that anyway, just not right NOW! Knock on wood, everyone else is normal so far, including my 2 babies that I’ve finally got after 12 years of trying.
I’m located in SW Mich. PM me if you need/want more details.
I could use some jingles if there are any to spare!
Squirt - so sorry to hear about your mare. Many, many jingles for your other horses. I hope that you are able to run out the clock on the quarantine without any others in your herd being affected.
Hang in there!
Condolences on the loss of your mare and jingles and a prayer that none of the other horses develop problems.
Congrats on your babies.
