11/18/2024
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There have been two confirmed cases of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in Spokane County. EHM is the neurologic form of EHV-1 (rarely caused by EHV-4), which can cause fatal neurologic disease. The signs are often fever, ataxia (wobbly gait), lethargy, nasal discharge, urinary and f***l incontinence, but can also progress to being down and unable to rise. This virus can also cause abortions, most often in late pregnant mares, as well as respiratory disease. If your horse is possibly exposed, please contact your veterinarian; horses should be quarantined per state veterinarian guidelines, and temperatures taken twice daily.
This disease is spread by contact with contaminated surfaces such as feed and water buckets, on tack or human clothing, nose-to-nose contact, and there is airborne spread.
There is no vaccine to prevent this form of EHV-1; however — in an exposed premises, the vaccines for the other forms of EHV may decrease viral shedding and help prevent spread of infection. We recommend limiting hauling for non-emergent reasons and reducing stress, especially in immunocompromised horses, as this can increase risk of spreading the disease.
Here are links to resources regarding EHV-1/EHM:
https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EHV_FAQ_for_Owners_Final.pdf
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/handler/managedfilehandler.ashx?id=4&ext=pdf
