Equine herpes virus outbreak in the west.

[near horse]

In case you haven’t heard, there’ve been some confirmed cases of equine herpes virus (EHV-1) in some horses here in Idaho, as well as Utah, California …. and now it seems Washington state. More in the story below:

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/05/17/2881462/western-states-canada-warned-of.html

Interestingly, my wife Sue just started working with a new faculty member at Washington State University who specializes in herpes virus – particularly in viral entry into the cell.

Here’s another more diagnostic link, in case you’re interested.

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-vth/announcements/index.aspx

[dominiquer60]

Two cases were also confirmed at the Cornell Vet hospital.

If this strain is similar to the one that went around Palm Beach a couple years back, then keeping your animals at home, or other places free of horses and keeping horsey friends off your place did a lot to contain this virus.

Farms set up sanitation stations at the front gate for visitors, all 57 miles of bridle paths were closed and folks just shut themselves in for a few weeks.

Hopefully this too can be contained and stopped.

Erika

[Pebbles]

I am in Northwestern Arizona. A friend e-mailed me this morning asking if I had heard about the virus and I had not so thanks for the info.

[Scott G]

If everyone just stays home with dobbin for the next three weeks this will subside quickly.

[J-L]

Ogden is only two hours away. That’s where the cutting was going on with the sick horses. Not too far away for sure.
My brother has an indoor arena and it’s used by several kids who are practicing for high school and college rodeos one of which will be travelling Utah.
Let’s hope they will hold off until this is under control.
I’m holding my breath on this one.

[Scott G]

As of now, most of our commercial arenas, event centers, equine clinics, & fairgrounds in CO are in lockdown mode. You need a permit to enter the State with a horse and an up to date health certificate just to be going down the road. Pretty much all horse events have been cancelled…as it should be.

Quarantine and people staying home is the best way to isolate this. If everyone behaves for a few weeks and uses their head we’ll be fine.

[Scott G]

I started a news secton on Google for anyone who is interested in following EHV-1

http://news.google.com/news/section?pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&csid=720817e9e9828142&ict=ln

[Demented Donkey Dame]

Thank you for doing this. It even has an update on a local small town rodeo here in Idaho.

[Author]

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