11/20/2025
Let's talk about the recent ๐๐๐ฉ-๐ญ ๐ข๐๐๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ.
Please be careful out there, everyone.
There are confirmed multiple cases of EHV-1 in horses returning from a recent event in the US, with several showing neurologic signs (EHM).
What Horse Owners Should Know:
1๏ธโฃ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ
Avoid hauling, shows, clinics, or mixing horses for the next few weeks.
Movement is the #1 driver of spread.
2๏ธโฃ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐
Fever is often the very first sign.
โก๏ธ 101.5ยฐF or higher = call your vet immediately.
3๏ธโฃ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐
โข Fever
โข Weakness or incoordination
โข Wide-based stance
โข Changes in tail tone
โข Difficulty urinating
โข Lethargy or decreased appetite
4๏ธโฃ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐น๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป
For exposed or febrile horses, your vet may recommend:
Valacyclovir, anti-inflammatories, anti-thrombotics, or other supportive care.
Only use these under veterinary direction.
5๏ธโฃ ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น
โข Do not share water buckets, hoses, grooming tools, or tack
โข Disinfect thermometers, trailers, stalls, and crossties
โข Isolate any horse with a fever
โข Wash hands and change clothes between barns when possible
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Vaccines do not prevent the neurologic form, but boosters can reduce viral shedding and shorten viremiaโboth of which help limit barn-wide spread.
Do not vaccinate febrile or exposed horses until cleared by your vet.
Weโre thinking of everyone dealing with this right now.
Stay alert, keep your horses home when you can, and take care of them. โค๏ธโ๐ฉน