The Thursday January 5th 2012 diagnosis of EHV-1 in a mare in North Carolina was the first case of the disease seen at North Carolina’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The infection had been seen during previous months in many western states, but not in North Carolina until Thursday. The spread of the disease to the eastern states could have been prevented with proper education on the illness. If you own a horse or other camelid it is very important to be informed about this highly contagious disease.
What is EHV-1? Equine Herpes Virus is a relatively uncommon virus today. The illness can result in spontaneous abortion, respiratory illness, and neurological disease. The respiratory form of the disease is not as serious as the neurological form; the respiratory form often results in ‘cold-like’ symptoms. The neurological form is Equine Herpesvirus -1 Myeloencephalopathy.
What does this mean for me? The disease is not transferable to humans. Those at risk for contracting the illness are horses and camelids (camel, llama, alpaca). If you are not responsible for these types of animals you are in the clear. If you are involved with these animals, you need to become more observant and cautious in the coming days. An outbreak can result in death for the animal. It is very important for the country to do everything they can to avoid a pandemic.
What should I do to prevent EHV-1? In the days following a confirmed outbreak it will be wise to avoid contact between your horse and other horses. This means no trail rides, no horse shows, and even rescheduling any non-essential visits to your veterinarian. If you have recently participated in any of these, you may want to isolate the animals involved from animals not involved for around 3 weeks. This should allow enough time for a virus to show. Long term prevention does not require so much anti-social behavior. During this period, as well as in the future, use proper hygiene between caring for animals; Wash your hands and any tools used on an animal before visiting another animal. Routinely clean feed buckets, water buckets, trailers, and stalls with disinfectant (1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water). Be sure your horse receives the EHV-1 vaccine during their annual vet visit.
What should I do if I suspect my animal has EHV-1? Twice daily temperature checks are a great place to start. A temperature over 102◦ accompanied by red nasal membranes, runny nose, or cough will be a red flag. You should also be looking for loss of coordination, weakness of hind limbs, and incontinence. Immediately call your local veterinarian and isolate your animal from other animals if you suspect it may be infected with EHV-1.
The NC January 2012 infected horse was previously living in a stable in Rockingham County in midnorthern North Carolina. It is currently being held in isolation at the NCSU Veterinary Center. An animal owner or veterinary specialist can call NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine at (919)513-6630 with any questions. (Serious inquiries only.)
*Candace volunteers at two animal clinics part time and for an animal shelter medical team; however, she is not a certified veterinarian or pet medical specialist. Any information offered above is strictly informational and not intended to be used to treat any medical condition.