Due to the recent
EVA (Equine
Viral Arteritis) outbreak in New Mexico
and Utah, and the recent outbreak of Equine
Herpes Virus Type 1, resulting in the quarantine of several
farms, we find it necessary to establish new
guidelines for horses entering our farm. These
precautions will help protect your horses as
well as those of other clients.
About EVA
Equine Viral Arteritis is transported via
nose-to-nose contact and/or airborne molecules
from a sneeze or cough from an infected animal.
The virus is also transmitted sexually.
Symptoms include nasal discharge, occular (eye)
discharge, and inflammation or swelling around
the eye or "pink-eye." They can also have
a rash around the head and neck and edema in the
ventral trunk, scrotum, mammary gland, and lower
limbs. Many other diseases can also cause
any of these symptoms. The EVA infected
horse may also have no symptoms. The
incubation period is 3 - 14 days. Once the
horse has the disease the clinical signs can
last 7 plus days.
30 - 60% of infected stallions will "shed" the virus in
their semen. They will always be a "shedder."
Using semen containing the virus will infect the
receiving mare.
If a mare has been exposed to the virus, she
will shed the virus through her nasal, oral and
vaginal discharge for approximately 30 days.
During that time, as her immune system fights
the virus, she will develop immunity.
There is no reduced fertility in the mare, but
she can give the disease to her neighbors.
If the pregnant mare is exposed to the virus and
is more than 3 months pregnant, she may abort.
This abortion will happen within 1 - 3 weeks
after exposure. Once she has developed
immunity she will not abort at a later date due
to EVA.
Geldings
and mares are not long term carriers and will
develop immunity to the disease. We
recommend vaccinating all horses that are coming
and going from your facility to avoid having the
disease inadvertently brought onto the premises.
Vaccination
Because the vaccine is a "modified live virus",
much the same as most flu vaccines, the
vaccinated horse will test EVA positive from
that point on. Therefore, owners retain
original documentation of vaccination. The
vaccinated horse cannot give EVA to another
horse but can pass on the modified live virus to
its neighbors and they will test positive.
Stallions (all male horses six months of age
and older) should have blood drawn and tested
negative prior to vaccination. The original
documentation of this negative test should be a
permanent part of the horse's file and stored in
a secure place. This is of paramount
importance for stallions intended for breeding
and especially for any foreign semen shipments.
Exposure due to vaccination is not transmitted
through semen. However, exposure to the actual
virus can result in the virus being transmitted through the semen from
the point of exposure. Stallions that test
positive to an EVA blood test may also be tested
by semen culture or PCR test to determine if
they are a carrier or have simply been
vaccinated or exposed to the modified live
virus.
The protocol for vaccinating all horses should
be discussed with your veterinarian, as it
differs for pregnant mares, open mares,
stallions and younger horses.
All Oasis Ranch, Inc. stallions have been tested
negative and vaccinated.
All other horses
on the farm are in the process of being tested
and/or vaccinated. All open mares and recipients mares will
be vaccinated. Because of the devastating
effect posed by an outbreak of EVA and the very
low risk of abortion from vaccinating, we are
also vaccinating all of our pregnant mares.
Pregnant mares will be vaccinated up to 6 weeks
prior to their due date. If mares are too
far along to vaccinate, they will be vaccinated
7-10 days after foaling. The foals will
not get the disease but may test positive in
the future.
About
Equine Herpes Virus Type 1
Equine
herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is one of a large group of
DNA viruses causing potentially serious disease
in horses and other species. EHV-1 has two
forms—one that causes abortion in mares and one
that causes respiratory infection and
neurological symptoms. The most recent
outbreaks of concern have involved the EHV-1
respiratory/neurological form of the virus.
EHV-1 is
contagious and is spread by direct
horse-to-horse contact, by contaminated hands,
equipment and tack, and, for a short time,
through aerosolization of the virus within the
environment of the stall and stable.
For more
information about Equine Herpes Virus Type 1
please see the websites listed below.
2007 Guidelines
Oasis Ranch, Inc. will not accept cooled semen
shipments from stallions that have not been
properly tested negative and vaccinated for
Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA).
EVERY horse (this includes mares
hauling in for breeding or vet work) entering
our facilities must have 1) a current (within 10
days) health certificate and 2) a current (more
than 12 days and less than 90 days) Equine
Herpes Virus Type 1 vaccination
(Pneumabort-K)
and one of the following:
·
Documented vaccination with
Fort Dodge ARVAC (Equine Viral Arteritis)
vaccine more than 30 days and less than
10 months before arrival at the breeding
facility. Vaccinated horses meeting these
criteria will be admitted to the facility
immediately.
OR
·
Documentation of an Equine
Viral Arteritis (serum neutralization) test.
-
All Mares with
positive Equine Viral Arteritis
tests (and no history of
vaccination) will be allowed to
enter the general population 30 days
after testing.
-
Non-pregnant mares
with negative Equine Viral
Arteritis tests will preferably be
vaccinated and quarantined for 21-30
days prior to arrival. If this
cannot be done, a negative test,
done within 30 days of arrival, must
accompany the mare. Oasis
Ranch, Inc. has the option, at their
discretion, of retesting the mare. We strongly
urge our clients to vaccinate
non-pregnant mares immediately so
they can enter the farm with no
delays.
-
Pregnant mares
with negative Equine Viral
Arteritis tests will be allowed to
enter the facility immediately if
the test is taken within 30 days of
arrival. We urge you to talk to
your veterinarian about vaccinating
your pregnant mare.
Documentation of these
vaccinations and tests signed by the owner's
veterinarian MUST accompany
EACH
horse.
We are aware this may cause some additional
expense for owners but remember,
it is FOR YOUR
PROTECTION AS WELL AS OURS. Waiting will
delay the chances of your mare being bred in a
timely manner.
If you have any questions regarding these new
guidelines please feel free to give us a call.
We will try to help in any way we can.
Mare
Requirement Checklist (pdf file)
EVA Guidelines
(pdf file)
EVA
information:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahps/equine/eva/eva-umr.pdf
http://www.newmexicolivestockboard.com/Files/Foreign%20Animal%20Diseases/Equine%20Viral%20Arteritis%20(EVA).htm
http://www.xcodesign.com/aaep/displayArticles.cfm?ID=285
Equine
Herpes Virus Type 1 information:
http://www.mda.state.md.us/article.php?i=2291
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/equine_herpes_virus.htm
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh/topics.htm
These guidelines were
adapted with
permission from Butch Wise, manager, Lazy E
Ranch, LLC of Guthrie, Oklahoma. We thank
them for their input.
http://www.lazyeranch.net/index.php?id=25&sub=83
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