EHV virus & competing (confirmed cases - Gloucestershire)

[millimoo]

All, sorry if this is posted elsewhere, but is anyone changing their competition habits due to the EHV virus outbreaks at a Dressage & Hunting yard in the Gloucestershire area...
I never really knew much about EHV, but there are enough concerns on the BD Forum for some to pull out of the Winter Championships due to be held at Hartbury in a couple of weeks?
I'll be honest, that I find it very worrying as the strain appears to be the paralysis type (poor poor owners, horses & yards effected)

The info below is copied from the BD forum thread, and is information from B&W Equine clinic regarding the EHV1 outbreak in Glos.

B&W Statement on EHV1
We advise that any yards that are concerned about EHV1 should minimise their risk of infection by vaccinating all horses on the premises( 2 injections 4 weeks apart) and by restricting the movement of horses on or off the premises. Any new horses to a yard should be isolated for a period 3 weeks.
Yards that have been in direct contact with infected animals SHOULD NOT VACCINATE
The incubation period of EHV1 is up to three weeks. Therefore a horse may develop the disease up to 3 weeks following contact with the virus. The virus is spread by close horse to horse contact and also may be airborne over short distances. The virus does not survive for long periods in the environment
To minimise the spread of disease clients are advised to monitor their horses, temperature. If there is a temperature spike (greater than 38.5C or 101F) please speak to your normal veterinary surgeon, the animal should be immediately isolated and any in contact horses monitored closely.
Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 (Paralytic Form)
Equine herpes Virus Type 1 (EHV1) is very common in most horse populations of the world. The virus typically causes one of three clinical conditions-
1. A mild respiratory disease with coughing and nasal discharge. This typically affects young horses. THIS IS COMMON
2. Abortion, typically in the last trimester of pregnancy. THIS IS RARE
3. Sudden onset paralysis/weakness with a high temperature. The condition tends to affect older horses (over 5 years). THIS IS VERY RARE
There is currently an outbreak of EHV1 paralysis in Gloucestershire, this is associated with a virus mutation. The condition should be considered VERY INFECTIOUS.
Diagnosis of EHV1 Paralysis-. This is made by detecting virus particles on a blood sample or nasal swab in animals showing signs of the condition.
Treatment. There is no specific treatment for the condition. Horses that are very wobbly or unable to stand are usually destroyed on humane grounds
Prevention-
1 Minimise the risk of exposure by avoiding mixing of horses from different premises.
2. Maintain a closed herd (i.e. no horses on or off the premises)
3. A vaccine is available (Pfizer EHV1,4) which may help to prevent infection and severity of subsequent disease (2 injections given 4 weeks apart)

 

[tiggs]

It was interesting to read the precautions BD took for the horses at the Judges convention. BD posted that a vet examined each horse before it was unloaded, there were footbaths for people and horses, the stables had been disinfected and two empty stables had been left between each horse.

If those are the recommended precautions for all events, it will be a nightmare for organisers and will increase costs significantly.

 

[millimoo]

I gather BD have been in a room with vets all afternoon ... The more I read, the more alarmed I become, purely because of the strain of EHV in circulation, and how rampant it can spread.
I personally wouldn't put my horse at Risk - I gather another yard now has a suspected case.
I believe.
Hartbury have Bio security measures in place, and they have just done a dummy run, but that was with restricted numbers, and they had 2 empty loose boxes between each horse, which won't be feasible for the Championships.

 

[superpony]

I have also been following the BD forum and feel for people that have qualified. Personally I would withdraw as would never forgive myself if something happened to one of mine. Luckily I am not out competing at the moment due to my Dad (driver and groom!) having had an op and unable to drive for the next few weeks. It is concerning especially since I have read its questionnaire how the dressage yard got it? They weren't in contact with the hunt horses.

I also don't see how Hartpury will work.. especially since they have stables with grills and then obviously the warm up and the sheer number of horses there..

 

[HammieHamlet]

That's really concerning.... It's not just the worry of your own horse getting it, not if they're stabled in a large yard.... How close to hartbury

 

[HammieHamlet]

Stupid phone... How close to hartbury have the confirmed cases been?

 

[Cheiro1]

Very worrying The Badminton case is a bit too close to home to me, although my vet said the vaccine is useless against the neurological EHV and not to waste my money!

 

[daisycrazy]

I think the nearest yard to Hartpury to have had a paralytic outbreak is 40km away as the crow flies (either Moreton-in-Marsh or Badminton). A yard at Toddington had a non-paralytic outbreak in January/early Feb and is just 13km away as the crow flies.

I wrote a long post re vaccines and then lost it - but to echo Cheiro 1, I will not be vaccinating my horse, despite being based in North Glos. Does not protect against the paralytic form except by reducing the overall incidence of the disease within the horse population. The vaccines can also have unpleasant side effects and need to be repeated frequently to maintain cover. Not worth it in my view and I suggest doing some research before deciding whether to have your horses vaccinated.

 

[miss_c]

There is EHV at a yard near me, however it is EHV-2 which is apparently not a risk? (I don't know as I'm not a vet!!!!!) The same yard also has a confirmed case of strangles at the moment and is doing everything necessary to contain it. This is a big livery yard.

Our RC has cancelled this weekend's members show after concerns from members. I had already withdrawn. I am, however, going out to BD on Saturday as I am travelling well out of the area (I have a private yard, just my two horses, no way either has it as last trip was 4 weeks ago!) and have come to the conclusion that the risk in the warmup is no more than it usually is.

The rumour mill locally is going absolutely mental. There's all sorts being bandied around. All I've heard of locally is the EHV-1 at Badminton, EHV-2 at this local yard although apparently the horse is at the vets not at the yard itself, and strangles at the same yard. The dressage yard is a good 1 1/2 hour drive away in a lorry so I'm not concerned about that one at the moment!

 

[ElleJS]

This is getting very serious now. I fear there are some that aren't taking it seriously enough. According to UKSJ forum there have been 7 confirmed cases of EHV1 nr Badminton.

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

Announcement with regards to the EHV-1 outbreak
We are currently in full consultation with both British Showjumping & British Dressage with regarding to the forthcoming Blue Chip Winter Show Jumping Championships 3 – 7 April and the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships 10 – 14 April held at Hartpury College and will be following their policy regarding EHV-1 and the advice given by their vets. The Governing Bodies are in on- going consultation with their senior vets and in daily contact with the vets treating the outbreaks.
The outbreak at Badminton is approximately 35 miles from Hartpury College. The case at the dressage yard 2 weeks ago, which is also approximately 35 miles from Hartpury College, we understand has been contained. There have been no cases of EHV-1 at Hartpury College and we have no evidence that any horse has visited at Hartpury whilst suffering from EHV-1.
As with all competitors the health and wellbeing of horses has to be the first decision and we will follow the policy set down by the Governing Bodies and their vets. Once the vets have decided if any precautions and / or Bio Security should be implemented at the Championships then a further announcement will be able to be made.
Any consideration to amend the refund or cancellation policy as stated in the General Rules and Regulations for the Championships will be made subject to the final information and guidelines provided by the Governing Bodies and their Vets.
This is an on-going process and we will be able to make a further statement as further information becomes available.

 

[noname]

This is as bad as panic buying petrol. As far as I am aware there are the three confirmed cases. Moreton, dressage yard and beaufort hunt. Why people don't adopt basic biosecurity in there everyday routine is beyond me.

My father works on a yard and is a freelance trainer. He keeps seperate clothes and boots for our own horses and continual supply of disinfectant and hibiscrub available. Every few months I disinfect stables etc.

Any new horse on our yard is isolated when it arrives as a matter of course.

Simple things all help like scrubbing water buckets daily and making sure each horse has its own set.

I just find it really odd that people don't do stuff like this generally rather than only when there is an outbreak of something!

 

[millimoo]

Regards the Dressage yard, it is a proffessional (who has been open about their case), but they have been out at other venues competing ahead of diagnosis.
That, plus the incubation, and how contagious this is, leads me to believe its going to get a lot worse before it gets better. I sincerely and truly hope I'm proved wrong

 

[seabsicuit2]

Four more cases in Gloucester confirmed yesterday.

 

[Kokopelli]

I'm concerned as there was a hunt meet at my yard yesterday and don't want my horses mixing with the ones who went hunting. I was meant to be going to a jumping clinic tomorrow but not sure if we're going now, partly due to high winds though and don't fancy towing in it.

 

[mtj]

This audio Q+A is from the USA where they have a number of current outbreaks. The host is an equine journalist and the vets are the chap dealing with the victims of the Wellington outbreak and a research specialist.

You will need to register, but its free.

www.thehorse.com/ask-the-vet/31459/ehv-1-horse-health-alert

 

[Llanali]

Noname- your post has irritated me somewhat. I appreciate what you are saying, but those biosecurity measures are irrelevant to this thread. What has isolating new horses and disinfecting stables every few months got to do with whether people go to a stay away show where you cannot disinfect totally nor isolate?

Those things you have mentioned are good practice of course, but not implement able when hundreds of strange horses come together to a strange site for a week.

 

[HammieHamlet]

Llanali - agree with you here, and don't thing that people are panicking - just being responsible for their horses and trying to keep them healthy - its nothing like panic buying fuel!

 

[gelderlander]

Four more cases in Gloucester confirmed yesterday.

Hi Seabiscuit - do you happen to know if this is at Badminton again or has the virus emerged at a previously clean yard?

 

[miss_c]

I've just been told 7 more cases confirmed at Badminton stables and the horses have been moved to a barn away from all others. Waiting for official confirmation though.

 

[LEC]

I run a lot of training with a friend - this is the advice we have had.


Just though I would pass this on to everyone who is attending ETSW training days over the next few weeks. With regards to the EHV virus I have spoken directly with my vet (Tim Randle, The Stables Equine Practice) today and he has given me the following advice;

1) do not panic the current outbreak is currently contained in a couple of hunt yards and one dressage yard in the Gloucester area with only a handful of horses developing the virus and these horses and yards have been linked to one another.

2) anyone who has hunted with any of the cotswold hunts in the last two weeks should as a precautionary measure not mix their horses with anyone else from other yards for the next two weeks or go to any events

3) owners should monitor their horses temperatures and if there is a rise in temperature then they should not take their horse anywhere. If your horse has a risen temperature you should not panic for most cases EHV will not be the cause but you should seek veterinary advice.

4) as above but if you horse has developed a cough

5) EHV is NOT highly contagious, advice when going to events or training days is your horse will not catch EHV by being in an arena with another horse, they have to have a lot of direct contact with one another to transfer the virus.
Precautions should be taken at events by that only transport your horse with other horses from the same yard or if you are transporting a horse with another horse from a different yard be sure no other horses from the other yard are showing signs of risen temps and coughs

6) at training days just move your horse from your trailer to the arena and try not to not let your horse have direct contact with other horses

 

[Gamebird]

I run a lot of training with a friend - this is the advice we have had.


Just though I would pass this on to everyone who is attending ETSW training days over the next few weeks. With regards to the EHV virus I have spoken directly with my vet (Tim Randle, The Stables Equine Practice) today and he has given me the following advice;

1) do not panic the current outbreak is currently contained in a couple of hunt yards and one dressage yard in the Gloucester area with only a handful of horses developing the virus and these horses and yards have been linked to one another.

2) anyone who has hunted with any of the cotswold hunts in the last two weeks should as a precautionary measure not mix their horses with anyone else from other yards for the next two weeks or go to any events

3) owners should monitor their horses temperatures and if there is a rise in temperature then they should not take their horse anywhere. If your horse has a risen temperature you should not panic for most cases EHV will not be the cause but you should seek veterinary advice.

4) as above but if you horse has developed a cough

5) EHV is NOT highly contagious, advice when going to events or training days is your horse will not catch EHV by being in an arena with another horse, they have to have a lot of direct contact with one another to transfer the virus.
Precautions should be taken at events by that only transport your horse with other horses from the same yard or if you are transporting a horse with another horse from a different yard be sure no other horses from the other yard are showing signs of risen temps and coughs

6) at training days just move your horse from your trailer to the arena and try not to not let your horse have direct contact with other horses

Thank the Lord. Measured and reasoned advice. People really are getting their knickers in a twist over this one. The horse-world gossip mill really is one of the worst and unfortunately internet forums and FB just serve to fuel the fire.

Tim Randle has just been appointed as one of the US team vets (based in the UK) and will have access to all the most up-to-date information and procedures from Florida.

Now please can we get on with following the above advice and stop chucking more fuel on the fire?

 

[seabsicuit2]

That's good advice but I can't help but worry? What about all the hunters that have been out hunting with the infected horses, breathing in their steam and sweat for hours? Surely all of those will be at a big risk?

 

[ihatework]

That's good advice but I can't help but worry? What about all the hunters that have been out hunting with the infected horses, breathing in their steam and sweat for hours? Surely all of those will be at a big risk?

If my horse had been out hunting and in direct contact with those who are confirmed positive then yes they are at a heightened risk. I would be concerned enough to quarentine the horse at home and monitor their temperature daily. If I were a YO, where one of the horses had been in direct contact I would probably put a temporary restriction on any other horse in the yard leaving too.

Other than that, then no I wouldn't be unduely concerned at this present time and would follow the advise given above.

 

[seabsicuit2]

It's not my horses or my yard I'm worried about- its everyone else's and how much the virus could have been spread about already. I just don't see how it could've been contained to within just a few hunt yards, I'm sorry but that's just not possible is it.

 

[RunToEarth]

Does anyone know whether Berkeley have been testing/found anything after their joint meet with the Beaufort?

LEC I think the advice you have posted is very sensible, however I cannot help worry about how these things spread.

I wish sometimes we could be a bit more pragmatic about how we go about stopping the spread of things like this, you only have to look a few years back to the F&M outbreaks to see how quickly things move.

 

[seabsicuit2]

Exactly the Beaufort , the heythrop and the Berkeley have all having meets that have anything from 20 to 70 horses , as I say all of them huffing together in their own steam and sweat, there's got to be a high risk amongst all of those, as they say it takes 3 weeks to become apparent .
It's different to your usual competition where horses generally don't touch each other or really get sweaty/ puffy.

 

[ihatework]

It's not my horses or my yard I'm worried about- its everyone else's and how much the virus could have been spread about already. I just don't see how it could've been contained to within just a few hunt yards, I'm sorry but that's just not possible is it.

It is possible - it depends on how virulent the strain in the various modes of transmission.

I'm not saying this virus won't have spead further however, because there will be a time lag between infection, clinical signs and public awareness.

You are also very much dependant on individuals being responsible when they know of the risk.

The next fortnight will be quite telling.

Fingers crossed the virus has been sufficiently contained and joe public are sensible about things.

 

[Super_Kat]

As somebody who plays a contact sport with her horses I find the whole thing a bit concerning given my season starts in about 6 weeks!
I can't help but think that a bit of scare mongering can't be a bad thing, might stop joe public being quite so blasé and be more cautious. As RTE said, just look how foot and mouth spread.... Damn quickly.

 

[millimoo]

This was posted on the BD forum... From an EHV fact sheet.
Goes against your vets thoughts LEC??? Personally I think this is going to mushroom... There are suggestions of a case in. Warwickshire & Northampton today, however that is not substantiated yet.

'EHV-1 is contagious and spread by direct horse-to-horse contact via the respiratory tract through nasal secretions. It is important to know that this disease can also be spread indirectly through contact with physical objects contaminated with the virus:
 Human contaminated hands or clothing
 Contaminated equipment and tack
 Contaminated trailers used for transporting horses
 Contaminated wipe rags or other grooming equipment
 Contaminated feed and water buckets
The air around the horse that is shedding the virus can also be contaminated with infectious virus. Although it is known that the virus can be airborne, it is difficult to establish the distance the virus can spread in this manner under typical horse management and environmental conditions.'