MORE ABOUT THE RHINO

[Helga Loncosky <hblmh@ptd.net>]

Found this link for the farm that got it.



Due to an outbreak of the rare neurological type of
rhinopneuminitis  EHV-1 at Pleasant Hollow, these two
competitions have been cancelled.  Competitors have been
notified; there will be a 60% refund of entry fees  for the
event.

Some of the facts about this outbreak:

All horses here have been regularly vaccinated for rhino. It
appears that the neurological variety can occur even in
vaccinated horses. The first signs seen here on April 8 were
loss of appetite, fever, and stocked up legs. At the onset,
vets thought it was a “normal” viral flu. We treated the
symptoms with bute for the fever and SMZ (antibiotics) for
horses with swollen legs. We also started to monitor other
horses’ temperatures, finding 10 or so more horses with mild
fevers within the first three days of the illness.  On April 12,
at 5:30 am, two horses were found down in their stalls,
unable to get up. One had had a mild fever 2 days prior, the
other had no apparent  signs to indicate fever. The vet came
immediately and rather quickly diagnosed neurological rhino,
something none of us knew anything about.  A virus cannot be
treated, you can only treat the symptoms to help the immune
system to be able to do the best job it can. In this instance,
treatment has been DMSO and saline intravenously, banamine,
and steroids, all aimed at reducing inflammation. We treated
the two horses who were down, even though the prognosis was
not good. Each was put  down within   18 hours. Now the panic
set in. All boarders and staff were here for the next few
days, as we identified more sick horses. One more was unable
to be saved in this first time period. Others were identified and
responded to treatment, though they were seriously ill for
some days. From Sunday April 15 to  Thursday April 19,  we
were at constant attention, taking all horses’ temps, doing
neurological exams of every horse 2 to 3 times daily, the vet
was here 2 to 3 times daily and not only treated sick horses
but also checked well ones. We thought things were slowing
down, and then we lost another horse April 19, suddenly again.
Renewed panic (not that we were ever relaxed!).  From April
20 to 25, it has again been quieter. 7 or 8 new cases, but not
as sick as the earlier cases;  the later cases seem more
responsive to treatment.   We are probably not done with it
yet.

FYI: Initial signs are lack of appetite, fever (but not always),
sometimes stocked up legs. Sometimes they become
neurological  almost immediately, or anywhere from 2 days to
12 days after the fever spikes. No 2 horses show exactly the
same symptoms before or during the illness. Some have more
of a myelitis (weakness in hind end and difficulty maintaining
balance), some have more of an encephalitis (seizure-like
behavior, extreme excitability and/or depression).  Recuperation
is slow, with weakness remaining for a period of days or weeks.
Each horse has to be dealt with individually to decide on
rehabilitation procedure. Some can only be hand walked, some
can have turnout. Since we are not at the end yet, none are
being ridden, and all turnouts are individual.

Our property is voluntarily quarantined. We will not have
horses come here, or take our horses elsewhere, until such
time that the vets decide it is safe. We are being careful
between our own 2 barns, changing clothes and shoes,
disinfecting with a Clorox solution. No one who has a barn is
coming into our barn.






-- 
 Helga Loncosky
THE ARCHIVAL MORGAN RECORD--Registry for Foundation and Half-Morgans
http://home.att.net/~a_m_r/index.html
Beacon Morgan Horses
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/5292/
hblmh@ptd.net
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The path of least resistance is what makes rivers and men crooked.

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the
inside of a man"--Winston Churchill