The Office of the State Veterinarian is issuing notification that horses attending the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah between April 30 – May 8, 2011 may have been exposed to the severe neurologic form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1). Horses that have been stabled with horses that attended the event in Ogden, Utah may also be exposed. Confirmed and suspected cases have been identified in several western states. Currently, there are 2 suspected cases in New Mexico; one case in the Albuquerque area and one case in the Hobbs area. All known horses that attended the event in Ogden, Utah are under a voluntary quarantine. At this time, we have not identified the location of all potentially exposed horses as reports are still being received. Owners of horses that attended the event in Ogden, Utah have been urged to contact their veterinarian, isolate their horse(s), monitor their horse(s) for clinical signs of EHV-1 and implement biosecurity measures immediately. It is recommended that owners take temperatures of their horses twice daily as horses often demonstrate an increase in temperature of 102°F or above prior to manifestation of clinical signs.
The Office of the State Veterinarian is recommending:
1) Rescheduling of all major equine events (gatherings of large numbers of horses) for at least the next 7-10 days.
2) The only way to prevent the spread of EHV-1 is to stop the movement and commingling of horses.
3) Horse owners, who suspect their horse may have been exposed to EHV-1, should contact their veterinarian immediately.
4) The neurological form of EHV-1 is a reportable disease in New Mexico; hence suspect horses should be reported to the New Mexico Livestock Board straight away.
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