Equine Herpesvirus

May 5, 2021

> There has been much buzz about current outbreaks of equine herpesvirus. Below are are some important things to remember.
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> Key Points –
> 1) Equine herpesvirus (EHV), also known as rhinopneumonitis (rhino virus) can cause several disease syndromes:
> Respiratory disease
> Abortion and newborn death
> Neurological condition known as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM)
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> 2) The vaccines available help protect against the respiratory form and abortion and may lessen spread of the virus but do not prevent EHM.
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> 3) Moving horses increases risk of spreading disease. At this time it is important to be aware of the history of horses shipping to a new location. Horses coming from a region with EHV cases (not from facilities that are quarantined with known cases – these horses should not be moved) it is recommended to isolate these individuals for 14 days. During this time monitor temperatures twice daily and call your veterinarian with temperatures greater than 101.5. Also watch for respiratory or neurological signs. Isolating new horses is always a good practice.
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