03/04/2021
*EHV-1 UPDATE*
February was a very stressful month in the equine community, with the outbreaks of EHV-1 in the GTA and Outaouais areas.
We would like to take this opportunity to reassure everyone in this region that it has now been four weeks since the outbreak here began - well beyond the 14 day incubation period - and to this date no new cases have been identified outside of the original farm. Implementation of a strict (voluntary) quarantine at the farm even before confirmation of the diagnosis, has helped immensely in containing this deadly virus.
We know now that the neurologic strain detected in our first case at the Luskville, QC farm is the same strain found in the initial GTA-based outbreak. A second affected farm in the GTA has confirmed a 'wildtype' strain of the EHV-1 virus indicating it is not related to the original outbreak.
Although outbreaks of this type are rare, it has certainly put an emphasis on biosecurity protocols between farms and horses and vaccination of healthy horses against the respiratory form of EHV-1 as an aid to help minimize the potential spread of the virus.
We encourage everyone to continue to be safe and minimize travel between farms at this time, but we are hopeful there are brighter days ahead. Please keep everyone at Venturing Hills in your thoughts as they continue their quarantine and monitoring of the herd over the next few months ❤️
