DeNaples Equine Services, 2240 Major Road, Moscow, PA (2025)

11/06/2025

‼️ALERT: Vesicular Stomatitis Virus**

🦠 As of October 31, 2025, Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) has been diagnosed in Arizona. More states may have detections in the coming weeks to months. The detection of VSV in the US triggers emergency import regulations in New York State and others.

🦠 Vesicular stomatitis is a contagious disease of livestock, mainly affecting horses and cattle. Occasionally, this disease can infect swine, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and even people. It is primarily transmitted by biting flies and midges. The disease causes blister-like sores, among other side effects.

🦠 Clinical signs appear 2 to 8 days after exposure:
🤤 Drooling or frothing at the mouth
👄 Blister-like lesions can form around
the mouth, nose, sheath, udder, ears,
and coronary bands.
🌡️ Fever (temperature > 101.5°F)
🥕 Reluctance to eat

☣️The Importance of BIOSECURITY!
Isolating new horses before introducing them to your herd.
🦟 Controlling insects on your property
with fly traps, sprays, and clean horse
pens.
🤒 Separating sick horses from healthy
horses on your property.
🧤 Handling healthy animals before sick
animals.
🧼 Washing and disinfecting your hands
and boots after working with sick
animals. If possible, change and wash
your clothes as well.

🛻 The Bottom Line:
ALL interstate travel (both TO and FROM New York) needs to be accompanied by a CVI certificate from an accredited veterinarian - should your horse need to travel interstate, PLEASE discuss this with your veterinarian.

🦠 VSV can move quickly, and animals may not be able to promptly return to New York if it is determined that they are within 10 miles of an affected animal. It is important to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of sending horses to VSV-affected states, and contingency plans should be made in case of a positive detection in a state that they have traveled to.

🔗 To continue to monitor any changes and restrictions in import and exporting your horse: https://agriculture.ny.gov/animals/animal-import-export

📸: Dr. Mary Kenne Lott giving a thumbs up from isolation.

09/03/2025

🍂 ‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice, fall like temperatures and changing leaves which means it is time to talk about the grass. Just because it is nearly fall does not mean that your horse isn’t at risk for developing laminitis triggered by insulin dysregulation due to metabolic issues and seasonal hormonal imbalances. The grass may appear less lush and green; however, the grass is in a stressed state. And due to this stressed state, the grass is high in sugars. We recommend still leaving the grazing muzzle on your horse for their safety and your peace of mind.

🩸 What can lead to insulin dysregulation? 🩸
Equine Metabolic Syndrome is a disorder associated with the inability to regulate blood insulin levels resulting in hyperinsulinemia. PPID (Pituitary para intermedia dysfunction) is the development of benign tumors of the pituitary gland which is responsible for regulating the body’s hormones including ACTH (adrencorticotropic). Both disorders can lead to insulin dysregulation, which can cause laminitis particularly when exposed to a diet high in non-structutal carbohydrates. ACTH and insulin levels can be tested to determine if your horse may need medication.

🐴 Laminitis is inflammation of the laminae between the hoof and the underlying coffin bone. The inflammation weakens the laminae attachments. Depending on severity, this may lead to founder. Founder is when the hoof and coffin bone can separate and the coffin bone can rotate.

Clinical signs of laminitis include:
🍂 Unwillingness to walk and notable lameness at the walk
🍂 Weight shifting
🍂 Heat in the feet
🍂 Increased digital pulses
🍂Wanting to stand with their weight rocked back on their hind feet
🍂 Increased heart rate and respiratory rate due to pain

🩺 If you suspect your horse may be experiencing laminitis, be sure to call your veterinarian for an exam and to formulate a plan that may include medications, management changes, and dietary restrictions.

📸: Photo taken at Sugar Maple Farm NY last fall.

08/15/2025

🐌 It is time to address the snail in the room! Recently, we posted about a number of positive Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) cases in our area. A few people commented that they had never heard of PHF in all of their years of horse ownership. We are here to squash the misinformation surrounding PHF. Let’s jump right in at a snail's pace.

🐌 When was PHF first identified?
Originally PHF was recognized in 1979 near the Potomac River in Maryland.

🐌 Where is PHF?
Originally it was thought that PHF was only found in the eastern United States; however, it has been identified throughout North America. And it has been described in South America and Europe too. Typically, PHF is seen in late spring through early fall.

🐌 How is it transmitted?
PHF has a complicated life cycle. It is transmitted by fresh water insects, not directly from horse to horse. Neorickettsia risticii is the bacterium causative agent. It has been identified in snails and various species of cadisflies. These aquatic insects, found near water, contain the rickettsia-infected trematodes which are ingested by the horse. The trematodes cause inflammation of the intestines often leading to an acute enterocolitis.

🐌 What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, lethargy, colic, and laminitis. It can cause abortion in pregnant mares.

🐌 How do we test for PHF?
Submit EDTA whole blood and/or f***s to the lab for PCR testing. Per the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center, they have seen a rise in positive PHF PCR tests over the years in NY state, with a higher number of cases diagnosed in Albany, Dutchess, Saratoga and Tompkins counties.

🐌 When did the PHF vaccine become commercially available? Is it effective?
In 1987, PHF vaccines were available. The monovalent PHF vaccine has been shown to provide better immunity than the PHF/rabies combination.

🐌 What can you do to protect your horse?
We recommend horses receive their first vaccination dose in late spring followed by boosters every three months through late fall. Following this schedule will give your horse continuous immunity until temperatures dip below freezing and the vector (disease-spreading) aquatic insects die for the year. While the vaccine is not 100% effective, it can decrease the severity of the illness and increase survival.

🐌 What can you do at the barn?
A simple tip is light at night attracts insects.
To help protect your horses, we advise to eliminate light sources near their drinking water. And provide clean drinking water.

🐌 While early treatment of PHF can be successful, the disease is frequently fatal.

📸: A previous patient diagnosed with PHF and survived.

08/08/2025

🦠 A recent case of the highly infectious equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) has been confirmed in Sussex County, NJ. Per the NJ Dept of Ag, a 20-year-old mare developed acute clinical signs on August 03, 2025, and was subsequently humanely euthanized. One week prior, another horse on the property presented with similar neurological signs and was humanely euthanized, without diagnostic testing. The property is quarantined.

📖 What is EHV-1?

Equine Herpes Virus type-1 (EHV-1) is a virus that causes respiratory disease, abortion, neonatal death, and neurologic disease. EHV can cause Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the neurologic form of herpes.

🤧How is it spread?

EHV-1 is primarily spread by direct horse-to-horse contact by respiratory secretions. However, indirect contact with contaminated equipment and personnel can spread the virus. Following infection, horses may become latent carriers and the virus may be reactivated after stress such as travel and exercise, or high doses of corticosteroids. The incubation period ranges from two to 10 days.

🩺What are the symptoms of EHV-1?

Common symptoms include fever, coughing, lethargy, nasal discharge, and inappetance. Symptoms of the neurologic form include ataxia (incoordination), weakness, difficulty standing, recumbency, loss of tail tone, and difficulty urinating.

😷How can you protect your horse?

While vaccination can decrease clinical signs and shedding, it does not protect against the neurologic strain.

While at a show, avoid nose-to-nose contact with horses from other barns, and don’t share equipment such as buckets, wheelbarrows, and pitchforks. Wash your hands frequently, and take extra precautions if working with multiple groups of horses.

🌡️ Consider taking your horse's temperature twice a day when traveling. Temperatures greater than 101.5 or any signs of illness should be reported to your veterinarian immediately.

🧬How is EHV-1 diagnosed?

The virus is detected in nasal swabs and blood samples by PCR testing. At Rhinebeck Equine, we offer in-house rapid EHV-1 PCR testing on nasal swabs. Results are available in ~60 minutes.

Address

2240 Major Road
Moscow, PA
18444

Telephone

+15705759664

Website

http://denaplesequineservices.com/

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