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Updated information: Re: [RC] Equine Herpes Virus fatalities in Saskatoon, Canada - CTH

Trish and I have been close friends for years.
I have been in touch with her throughout this ordeal.
The information on the WCVM web site for some reason is not telling the entire story. I read it just a few minutes ago.
 Trish has 8 out of 9 horses sick to some degree. One colicked , the pony died, 5 are wobbly, and 2 have eye inflammation, in only 2 did she document fever. The only one not effected is her mare Miss Mocha that is taking $2000 dollars worth of anti virus drugs as protection.
Personally it drives me crazy that this is not a reportable disease. They seem to think that only diseases that effect humans need to be reported. Do they think this does not effect us. We may not catch it but it certainly effects anyone who owns a horse when it is ill. Having lived through Sids ( my gelding) illness I am an expert on how much. They are our family.
www.facs.sk.ca/proactive_EHV.htm   there are 2 articles in PDF form on this site you should take the time to read.
My 2 cents worth and mine alone is you would think that after the BSE crap we have been through in this country the powers that be would pull their heads outta the sand and get on top of this right away. They should have stopped the auction ( as mentioned on Myna s email I have left attached) and tried to contain this. Better to be safe then sorry.I find it hard to believe that Trish is the only one whose horses caught it from a riding lesson at the stable. Lots of others were there so it could be spreading every where. Not all horses will show noticeable symptoms. This is not your normal Rhino but some kind of mutant that is extra nasty. I don't even need a PhD to figure that out.
Trish has been a vet for 20 years and a horse owner for 32. She did not even know what she was dealing with for 17 days. Brian, her husband kept asking her "Are you sure this is not the herpes?" She is now eating humble pie.
I want to bubble wrap my boys.
Put the Dowling/Zwann family and horses in your prayers.
Paddi
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2008 2:49 PM
Subject: [RC] Equine Herpes Virus fatalities in Saskatoon, Canada

Begin forwarded message:
From: Olin Balch <obalch@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: April 4, 2008 6:12:34 PM PDT

Hi everyone:

A very sobering and sad email forwarded from Melissa Ribley, Chair of the
AERC Veterinary Committee.

I have known Trish Dowling for more than 15 years since we were both faculty
at Saskatoon¹s Western College of Veterinary Medicine in the 90s. She has
an outstanding international reputation as pharmacologist, internal equine
medicine specialist, and a horsewoman. She has been a fine friend of mine
for many years and fabulous supporter of all things endurance. She is one
of a kind. 

This is a truly terrible thing, and my heart goes out to her and her family.

For those of you of who would want to send a sympathy note, her email is
trisha.dowling@usask.ca

Olin


Subject: please send out to members

I wanted to let everyone know that Dr. Trish Dowling from the vet college
in Saskatoon is involved in a really awful situation with her horses. She
had taken two of her horses to the stable for riding lessons that has since
been quarantined with the EHV (Equine Herpes Virus) outbreak . The horses
were never in contact with other horses and didn't drink out of stable
buckets etc. But they both came down with symptoms and one died. All the
rest of her horses are now sick except her international which she is giving
very expensive antiviral drugs to. 5 of her horses are showing neurological
symptoms. There was an outbreak of EHV in Florida in January and there was
7 horses with neurological symptoms and 6 of them died. So this is a very
dangerous strain. Apparently there was a horse sale in Saskatoon yesterday
and one of the horses in the sales ring went down and seizured. It might not
have been EHV but it quite likely could have been and in that case the
disease will have been spread far and wide. So I think we all need to be
very careful where we take our horses.

Don't want to alarm everyone but I think we need to be aware.

Myna