COVENTRY – The Chenango County Farm Bureau is concerned about the lack of public awareness regarding a highly contagious viral infection that affects horses.
“There’s not enough information available on Equine Herpesvirus 1,” said Jan Hinman, a Coventry horse farm owner who sits on the CCFB board of directors.
Two cases of the virus, referred to as EHV-1, were confirmed in late March. Some 69 horses that may have been exposed to the infected animals while they were being treated at Cornell University’s Equine Hospital were quarantined as a result, according to a press statement issued by the New York State Department of Ag and Markets on April 5. The Equine Hospital itself was also quarantined, from March 29 through April 11.
But Hinman fears there are many horse owners who are unaware of the dangers of the virus.
“This is very close to me this year because a friend of mine just finished (having her horse) being quarantined with this,” she said.
The horse owner in question, who lives in close proximity to Hinman, lost two horses to the disease, and two others were very ill, she explained.
EHV-1 can go undetected because some infected animals exhibit no clinical signs of the virus, other than a fever. Other symptoms include respiratory disease, abortion or neurological disorders.
“This seems to be more and more of a problem every year and no one seems to tell you about it. My friend is telling everyone so people can educate themselves and not go through what he went through,” Hinman said.
According to CCFB President Bradd Vickers, increasing public awareness is crucial.
“Many small horse operations or those who own a horse for the kids, do not have a regular veterinarian to call and are not taking precautions if a friend brings a horse to their property,” he explained.
Horse owners can find more information on EHV-1 on the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ website, www.aaep.org, or on the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service site, www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/ehv/.