In light of the current equine herpesvirus type-1 neurologic outbreaks, Rob Holland, DVM, senior veterinarian at Pfizer Animal Health, has suggested that owners take steps to prevent EHV-1 infection in their horses.

“Other than supportive therapies to reduce symptoms such as fever, there is no effective treatment once a horse has been infected with EHV-1,” said Holland. “Owners may be able to reduce the risk of transmitting EHV-1 between horses by limiting or thoroughly disinfecting shared equipment, such as water buckets, bits, and lip chains.”

EHV-1 commonly causes respiratory disease, but the virus can also affect the central nervous system, resulting in various levels of paralysis. Horses with mild signs usually have a good chance of recovery, but horses that become unable to stand have a poor survival rate. Horses can become infected without ever showing clinical signs, and they can act as carriers for the disease. Also, EHV-1 has the ability to become latent and hide from the immune system, and an infected horse may periodically shed the virus throughout its lifetime.

“I would recommend that healthy horses about to be shipped or exposed to unknown horses get vaccinated with Rhinomune  according to label indications,” said Holland. “This vaccine contains a modified live EHV-1 virus that triggers a very effective immune response