Update: Michigan Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) Case Details

Horse Euthanized at Michigan State Vet School Hospital

Michigan State University has issued the following announcement on the vet school website on Tuesday, March 24:

“An eight-year-old Quarter horse gelding, used for barrel racing, presented to Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center on March 18, 2015 for acute onset of neurologic disease.

“The gelding tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and was placed in isolation. The gelding was euthanized on March 21, 2015 due to deterioration of clinical signs in the face of aggressive supportive care.

“No other cases have been reported in Michigan at this time. All equine in-patients at MSU were tested on March 21, 2015 for EHV-1. At that time all horses tested negative.”

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) issued a public alert on Facebook at 5 pm today, but no news can be found on the official state website.

The statement follows in unedited form:

MDARD was notified on March 19, 2015 of a horse from a stable in Livingston County testing positive for EHV-1. EHV-1 is a reportable disease to MDARD. MDARD is in the process of tracing horse movement and potential exposure to other horses in order to stop the spread of this disease. There are no additional Michigan positives as of 3:00 pm March 24, 2015.

The horse was not vaccinated for EHV-1.

The horse was displaying ataxia, dog-sitting, being unable to rise, and urinary/fecal retention (unable to eliminate). Medical care was sought for this horse, unfortunately, it was later humanely euthanized.

Within the past 28 days, the horse traveled for competitions/shows in Barry County on Feb. 28 and March 7 and traveled for training to a facility in Livingston County on March 9, 11 and 14.

Owners of any horse that may have been at a competition/show or training facility on these dates should closely monitor their horse for fever, respiratory signs, neurologic signs or reproductive abnormalities. Horses known to have been exposed to a horse with EHV need to be isolated and have their temperature taken twice a day. Any horse owner with a horse with rectal temperature greater than 101.5 F and/or showing respiratory, neurologic, or reproductive abnormalities are advised to contact their private veterinarian as well as MDARD at 800-292-3939. MDARD may be contacting horse owners directly when specific instances of exposure are identified.

You can find a link to our Animal Rectal Temperature Recording Log on the webpage listed below.

http://www.michigan.gov/…/0,4610,7-125-48096_48097_68355—…

(end of unedited announcement)

Michigan State University posted a page of information about EHV (and EHV-1) written by Dr. Judy Marteniuk.

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