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[RC] Prevent Equine Viral Areritis - breeders - Randy or Cheryl Winter


Horse Owners Urged to Implement Best Management Practices
to Prevent Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA)

Texas equine producers, veterinarians and livestock health officials have
become increasingly concerned about Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA), which has
been detected in New Mexico and Utah this year. A viral disease of horses,
donkeys, and other equine animals, EVA causes mares to abort, can cause mild
to severe respiratory disease in some horses and may also cause some
stallions to become chronically infected and shed the virus in semen. While
EVA has been encountered rarely and is not a reportable disease in Texas,
regulations have been implemented in some states, including Kentucky, New
York and Colorado.
 
While some infected equine exhibit no signs of disease, owners should be
alert and notify their accredited private veterinary practitioner if horses
or foals develop signs of EVA, including fever, depression, diarrhea,
coughing or nasal discharge, or swelling of the legs, body or head. 
Laboratory testing is necessary to confirm a diagnosis, as other equine
diseases can present similar clinical signs. 

„EVA is not currently a reportable disease in Texas,‰ said Dr. Bob Hillman,
Texas‚ state veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal Health Commission
(TAHC), the state‚s livestock and poultry health regulatory
agency. „However, we urge veterinarians and horse owners to report suspected
and confirmed cases of EVA to the TAHC to ensure we have the most accurate
picture of the disease in the state and can provide up-to-date information
to veterinarians and equine owners.‰
 
Horses can be infected by inhaling the equine arteritis virus, through
natural service of a mare by a carrier stallion, artificial insemination of
a mare with semen from a carrier stallion, or by being exposed to bedding or
other objects contaminated with the virus.  Stallions that shed the equine
arteritis virus in their semen can infect unvaccinated mares, causing a
respiratory disease and abortion. Acutely infected horses spread the
infection to other horses via the respiratory route. A pregnant mare may
also be infected through contact with acutely infected horses and may abort.
Cleaning and disinfection of stalls, trailers and equipment can reduce the
risk of EVA exposure. 
    
„Know the EVA status of stallions, semen shipments and mares before they are
introduced onto your farm. Consult your accredited private veterinary
practitioner about vaccination protocols for brood mares, stallions and colt
foals, and ensure that good biosecurity measures are followed,‰ said Dr.
Hillman.  
 
„If you are shipping breeding horses out of state, check to determine the
entry requirements of the receiving state and allow time to comply with any
testing, vaccination or isolation requirements. Many breeding farms have
implemented Œbest management‚ practices, testing and vaccination procedures
to prevent the introduction or spread of EVA. Before delivering mares to
farms for breeding, owners should contact the facility managers to determine
what testing and vaccination procedures must be met.‰
 
 „Although only supportive treatment can be provided, most affected mares,
geldings or sexually immature stallions will eliminate the virus and
recover,‰ said Dr. Hillman.  „Sexually mature stallions, however, can 
become
carriers of the disease and shed the virus for long periods. Shedding
stallions should be isolated and bred only to vaccinated mares.‰
 
„It is very important to have breeding horses tested, and if appropriate,
vaccinated prior to the breeding season. After vaccination, stallions and
mares should be withheld from breeding for at least 28 or 21 days,
respectively. Vaccinated horses also must be maintained away from pregnant
mares for at least 28 days,‰ he said. „EVA vaccine may be acquired only by
veterinarians, with prior TAHC approval.‰
 
Additionally, mares vaccinated for the first time and bred to a carrier
stallion should be isolated from other equine for 21 days after breeding.
Owners of breeding horses considering vaccination should consult their
veterinarians if the horse may also be shipped in interstate or
international commerce. A specific pre-vaccination protocol to assure the
horse was test-negative prior to vaccination may be required, because
vaccinated horses will test positive for the disease.
                                                                  
Horse breeders are urged to work with their veterinarians to institute best
management and biosecurity practices immediately to protect their investment
and the health of their animals. EVA can be prevented and controlled by
sound management practices and selective use of the EVA vaccine. Links to
additional information about EVA may be accessed at the TAHC‚s web site at
http://www.tahc.state.tx.us <http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/> .



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