IMPORTANT - Inspect Your Hay
2/26/2007
Dangerous Blister Beetles in CO Hay Supplies
* Blister Beetles have been found in Alfalfa Hay in the Birmingham
Alabama area - Originated in Colorado *
This hay originated in East Colorado. As of today, 2 horses have
died and 7 are being treated at Coosa Valley Equine Clinic. Several
of the 7 may not make it. The toxicity of these Beetles is extreme.
The 2 that died were fed hay yesterday morning and dead by noon.
This hay was sold by a reputable "hay man" who has bought over 150,00
bales of Alfalfa from the "harvester" in Colorado for over 10 years.
Very unfortunate incident.
If you are in Alabama and reading this, or if you have purchased hay that
may have come from CO inspect your hay for the red
striped Beetle.
There's no telling where this hay may have ended up.
Steve Rei, Esq.
President
National Equine Rescue Coalition
Tel: 508-478-4077
Fax: 508-986-7088
rescuecoalition@gmail.com
MEDIA ALERT
November 10 2007
Clues To Horse Herpes And Neurologic Disorders Discovered By Researchers
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------
Source: Sabina Lee
Cornell University Communications
Sometimes, a small change can make a big difference. Such is the case with the horse herpes virus: A change in just one amino acid can make all the difference between triggering a cold or a life-threatening neurological disorder.
Cornell microbiologists have shown that a single amino acid variation in an enzyme that is part of the DNA copying process of equid herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) creates a different type of EHV-1, which causes the neurological disorders in horses. Both types of EHV-1 can also cause abortions.
The researchers' paper is published in the Nov. 9 issue of PLoS Pathogens, published by the Public Library of Science.
The horse herpes virus, a close relative of the chickenpox virus in humans, lives in horses' nostrils and is commonly spread by droplets in the air. And horses remain infected for life. Recently, veterinarians noticed a rise in outbreaks of the neurological form of EHV-1, which can devastate entire herds. Close to one-third of horses that develop the neurological disease end up dying or being euthanized.
"There are apparently two distinct pathotypes of EHV-1 out there, and one is more likely than the other to cause the neurological disease. This study provides the ultimate proof," said Klaus Osterrieder, the paper's senior author who is professor of virology in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine. Laura Goodman, who was a graduate student in the Osterrieder laboratory and is now a postdoctoral associate at Cornell's Baker Institute for Animal Health, is the paper's lead author.
After cloning the genome of the virus obtained from a mare that had both lost a fetus and developed neurological symptoms, the researchers then altered one amino acid in the viral enzyme known as DNA polymerase and rendered the virus unable to cause neurological disease. The amino acid change reduced levels of the virus in the horse's bloodstream, and low levels of the virus reached the central nervous system. The mutation also made the virus more susceptible to antiviral drugs. The researchers believe the reduced replication and levels of virus in the blood may be why one form of the virus does not cause neurological disorders.
"The two pathotypes replicate to similar levels in the horse's nose and spread to other horses with similar efficiency, so interventions should be equally rigorous for all infections," said Osterrieder.
The fact that EHV-1 is a virus and, thus, does not respond to antibiotics underscores the need for prevention, which includes limiting contact and using separate feeders for infected horses. Also, handlers should be careful not to transfer the virus with their clothes, shoes, hands and gear. While vaccines are available that create an immune response against the EHV-1 respiratory disease, no vaccine is currently known to efficiently protect horses against the neurological disease. Only a few vaccines were shown to protect against abortion.
The researchers postulate that herpes viruses evolve toward strains that produce less disease, so they think that the more virulent neurological strain is older than the milder type of EHV-1.
MEDIA ALERT
October 15 2007
Oregon Vets Reporting Increase in Pigeon Fever Cases
by: The Associated Press
October 18, 2007
Clinical signs of a contagious animal disease called pigeon fever (also known as dryland distemper) have been found in dozens of horses in Eastern Oregon this fall, according to area veterinarians.
Despite the name, the disease is not spread by the bird. Rather, the bacterial infection can cause abscesses that lead a horse's chest to swell like a pigeon's.
Fred Robinson, DVM, of Riverside Veterinary Clinic in Pendleton said he has seen an increasing number of cases this fall, just as he did in 2005.
"There were 80 or so horses treated then, and at this point, with the season not over, we're approaching 50 horses," Robinson said.
Jason Down, DVM, of the Hermiston Veterinary Clinic said he's only seen four potential cases this year, but he noted that Idaho veterinarians are noticing an uptick.
Although pigeon fever gets it name from the swelling in the chest, the disease can cause swelling anywhere on the horse's body.
"They don't usually go off their feed, and the horse's attitude doesn't change," Robinson said.
Down said a veterinarian can confirm the infection only with a bacterial culture. The infection is contagious among horses, so owners should isolate infected animals. Down said it's important to drain the abscess so it doesn't infect other horses--then clean up well.
"People don't get it, but they can carry it among horses on their clothing, boots, tools," he said.
The bacteria live in the soil and enter the animals' skin through routine abrasions. The incubation period can run from a few days to several weeks and it's generally not fatal.
MEDIA ALERT
October 15 2007
Mississippi State Reports Surge in EEE, WNV Cases
by: Erin Ryder, TheHorse.com News Editor
Article # 10606
Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV) have hit Mississippi's horses hard this year, with EEE case numbers surging to more than double 2006 levels. According to State Veterinarian Jim Watson, DVM, there have been 27 cases of EEE and 11 of WNV thus far.
Watson said there's no clear reason why the incidence of the mosquito-borne viruses has increased, especially given the exceptionally dry conditions experienced in much of the state this summer.
"It just fluctuates from year to year," Watson said. "I don't know that I can say why that might be--it's always a dilemma trying to figure out why some years are worse than others. "
According to the equine arbovirus reports compiled by the USDA's National Animal Health Surveillance System (NAHSS), a national reporting system for equine disease, there were 12 cases of EEE in Mississippi last year, along with 25 WNV cases. Nationally, there were 111 cases of EEE in the United States last year, along with 1,086 equine WNV cases.
Watson said arboviruses are a known problem for equines in the Gulf Coast states, and that nearly every Mississippi county has reported either EEE or WNV. He encouraged all horse owners the to utilize vaccines--which are widely available--for both viruses early in the year, before cases begin popping up.
"You don't want to wait until you hear about cases in your area," Watson said. "If you're in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama, your horses are going to be exposed to EEE and West Nile virus and they need to be kept current on those vaccinations. You can't really predict, based on weather patterns or rainfall, who's going to be most susceptible.
"You have to assume that wherever you are there's the potential for virus activity--so take precaution," Watson said. "For horses, that includes vaccines."
Watson said that while many horse owners are paying attention to West Nile virus, they neglect the "old" vaccines, including EEE and tetanus.
A veterinarian should be summoned at first sight of early clinical signs of encephalitic disease, especially in unvaccinated horses. A horse with EEE can portray varied neurologic signs in the early stages of the disease, including apparent blindness, loss of equilibrium, or a head tilt, or he can exhibit sudden behavior changes, lameness due to loss of coordination, or convulsions before progressing to recumbency, coma, and death. The Merck Veterinary Manual reports the mortality rate of EEE to be 50-90%.
For more information on WNV, watch the Webinar "Understanding West Nile Virus" at www.TheHorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=10480.
MEDIA ALERT
2/22/2007
Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Affects Horses across the Country
/Preventive Measures Required to Help Protect Horses from this Highly
Contagious Disease/
Media Contact:
Equine Resources International, LLC
Phone: (610) 444-7554
teresa@equineresources.com
New York, NY (February 21, 2007) -- Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) has been in the news throughout the country recently, with outbreaks of the virus occurring in locations as varied as Florida, Connecticut and California. EHV-1 infection can cause respiratory distress, abortions, paralysis and even death -- making it a key concern for horse owners, trainers and barn managers.
EHV-1 infections are difficult to treat once symptoms are observed. As a result, preventive measures -- such as a strong vaccination program and herd health management -- are essential to ensuring the good health of horses stabled at a particular facility, and while traveling for sale and competition.
?Owners should work with their veterinarians to be sure that an appropriate vaccination schedule is in place for all of their horses,? said Robert Holland, DVM, Senior Veterinarian at Pfizer Animal Health. ?Rhinomune(R), a modified-live vaccine, triggers an effective immune response and works as an aid in the prevention of respiratory disease caused by EHV-1.?
The symptoms of EHV-1 are extremely diverse and can include fever, nasal discharge, cough, anorexia and a general malaise for the affected horse. The neurologic form of the disease often begins with a high fever, followed by several days when the horse appears to be recovering. After about six to ten days, however, affected horses begin to exhibit neurological signs such as hind limb weakness, and even an inability to rise after lying down. The outlook for horses that are unable to get up from a sitting position is not favorable -- paralysis and death may follow in severely affected animals.
EHV-1 can also cause abortions and stillbirths in pregnant mares exposed to the virus. These abortions can sometimes occur anywhere from the fifth month of gestation through the 11th month and result in a fetus that appears normal. The virus can be found in the placenta and fetus after abortion. For large breeding facilities this is a particular concern as EHV-1 can spread rapidly through a herd of mares, creating a frightening situation known as an ?abortion storm?.
The virus is transmitted through both direct and indirect contact with infected horses, and can be spread via water buckets, feed tubs, tack, grooming equipment and even on the hands and feet of people caring for affected animals. The virus is particularly hard to manage because a horse may become latently infected and not display symptoms for many years after infection. In fact, it is believed that up to 80% of horses are latently infected with EHV-1. The disease may lie dormant for a long time, and then be activated by periods of stress caused by training, competition, transportation or other environmental stressors.
Rhinomune(R), a modified-live vaccine, helps prevent respiratory disease caused by EHV-1. It is safe for healthy horses three months of age or older and in pregnant mares after the second month of pregnancy. Vaccination of all horses on the premises is recommended to enhance herd immunity. Rhinomune does not currently have a label claim for protection against the neurologic form of EHV-1 or abortion by mares following exposure to the virus. However, Rhinomune is effective against the respiratory spread of EHV-1, which all of these other presentations of the virus rely upon.
In addition to vaccination, managers can help reduce the chances of infection by regulating horses coming in and out of their facilities -- housing incoming horses separately for the first two to three weeks. Proper ventilation will also help to cool an area, remove disease pathogens and control moisture. A strong disinfection program -- including water buckets, tack, grooming equipment and barn staff, is another step to keeping possible infections in check.
Before a horse is exposed to stressors such as travel, competition, or changes in their environments, it may be advisable to help stimulate their immune system through the use of Pfizer?s scientifically demonstrated immunomodulator, Zylexis(TM). Consisting of inactivated (killed) parapox ovis virus, Zylexis aids in the reduction of upper respiratory disease associated with EHV-1 and EHV-4. Zylexis is safe for use in healthy horses, including foals four months of age and older.
For more information on Rhinomune, Zylexis and Pfizer Animal Health?s complete line of equine health care products, visit * www.pfizer.com/equine.*
MEDIA ALERT
Horse Tests Positive for Rabies,
Thousands Possibly
Exposed to Virus
WHO: The Tennessee Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control are notifying more than 150,000 people that they may have been exposed to rabies after a 3-year-old gelding was found to have the disease during a recent equine event.
WHAT: This recent incident emphasizes the potential animal and human health threat that rabies poses. Each year up to 40,000 people receive preventative treatment after rabies exposure. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that can be spread from an infected horse's saliva to people in contact with them. What's more, the signs of rabies in horses can easily be confused with other neurological diseases, such as West Nile virus or sleeping sickness, or with a wide variety of other conditions such as colic or choke.
For humans, rabies is nearly always fatal if left untreated.^1 For horses, there is no successful treatment, and so the disease is ultimately fatal. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent rabies and ensure the disease does not affect horses.
WHEN/WHERE: *The potential exposure occurred during the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn., Aug. 23-31, 2006. The infected horse was from Waynesville, Mo.
CONTACT: *Dr. Stephanie Thompson, DVM, Veterinary Medical Affairs, Merial, is an expert in rabies and rabies prevention. She can provide information about the disease. Merial is the world leader in rabies prevention and the manufacturer of IMRAB ® rabies vaccine, which is the only brand proven under epidemic conditions and is labeled for the prevention of rabies for six species of animals.
Upon request, Merial can also provide a free brochure about rabies and IMRAB
designed to educate horse owners.
To schedule an interview with expert sources or to request your free brochure
about rabies and rabies prevention, contact Jennifer Ryan, Bader Rutter &
Associates, (262) 784-7200 or
jryan@bader-rutter.com .
Centers for Disease Control. Horse stabled at Tennessee Walking Horse 2006
National Celebration tested positive for rabies. September 9, 2006. Available
at:
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/news/2006-09-09_horse_rabies.html.
Accessed September 12, 2006.
Tennessee Department of Health. Rabies fact sheet. Available at:
www2.state.tn.us/health/FactSheets/rabies.htm".
Accessed September 12, 2006.
Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine online publication.
Rabies in horses. January 2004. Available at:
http://cvm.msu.edu/Extension/equine/RabiesinHorses.pdf".
Accessed
September 12, 2006.
Sommardahl C. Rabies in Equine Internal Medicine, Reed & Bayly ed.,1998;510-512.
Label of IMRAB 3.
Gaudry D, Soulebot JP, Precausta P. Rabies vaccines: Update on the Merieux Experience. /Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician/, 1988;6-8.
® IMRAB is a registered trademark of Merial.
©2006 Merial Limited. Duluth, GA. All rights reserved.
EVX-ADS-6-RABIESEQUINETN
Media Advisory
June 30, 2006
Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA)
Outbreak Reported in New Mexico*
On Monday June 26, 2006, the Office International des Epizooties (O.I.E.) Reference Laboratory for Equine Viral Arteritis at the University of Kentucky College of Agricultures Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, confirmed an outbreak of equine arteritis virus infection involving fetal losses among mares on a Quarter Horse breeding farm in New Mexico.
This was based on the widespread prevalence of high antibody levels to the virus in both mares and stallions, plus virus isolation from the semen of two stallions. On the same day, the outbreak was reported to the New Mexico Livestock Board in Albuquerque, N.M., which is now investigating the potential for spread of the infection to other premises.
The EVA Reference Laboratory is interested in receiving samples from suspected clinical cases of EVA or from animals very recently exposed to semen from either of the virus-shedding stallions. Veterinarians are requested to contact the Gluck Center at (859) 257-4757 before submitting samples.
For more information about this outbreak or about EVA, the
following resources are available:
* The New Mexico Livestock Board has information regarding this outbreak on
its Web site, which can be accessed at
www.newmexicolivestockboard.com
under critical events. * Information about EVA is available on the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Web site at
www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahps/equine/eva/.
* Detailed information about EVA from the USDA, including history,
transmission, symptoms, clinical signs, treatment, prevention and control is
available at:
www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahequineva.html
.
* An article entitled Equine Viral Arteritis: Is the Disease a Cause for
Industry Concern? by Dr. Peter Timoney, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center,
is available in a pdf format from
www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/index.htm. This article was written for the Spring and
Summer 2005 issues of //Impulsion//, the official newsletter of The American
Holsteiner Horse Association, Inc. and is reproduced with permission.
Writers: Dr. David Powell and Dr. Peter Timoney, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine
Research Center