WCVM suspends equine clinical services
The equine ward at the WCVM's Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Photo: Debra Marshall.
As a precautionary measure, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Clinic at the University of Saskatchewan is not accepting any non-emergency equine patients to control risks related to equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection.
WCVM suspended its equine clinical services following admission of two local horses that proved to be suffering from the neurologic form of EHV-1 infection, also called equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM).
The virus, which is contagious through contact and through aerosols, can be controlled by restricting contact and with stringent decontamination of hospital facilities. EHV-1 can not be transmitted to humans or to other animal species and is not a reportable disease in Canada.
All other activities and services provided by the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are not affected by these precautions.
“We suspended equine admissions at the Large Animal Clinic and placed all of our remaining equine patients under isolation to minimize the risk of further disease transmission among horses,” says Dr. Katharina Lohmann, a specialist in veterinary internal medicine at WCVM’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital and an associate professor in the veterinary college’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.
“In addition, we’re working closely with the local riding stable where the first two cases originated and where eight other horses have developed clinical signs. The stable owners have also implemented a quarantine of their facility to control the potential spread of EHV-1 to other farms.”
The most common sign among horses infected with this virus is mild respiratory disease during the first two years of life. Much less commonly, infections can result in more severe complications such as abortions in pregnant mares or nervous system disease (EHM).
The clinical signs identified in the two horses admitted to WCVM included fever, limb swelling, inco-ordination and urinary incontinence. Affected horses remaining at the stable of origin are being treated supportively and are improving. No deaths have occurred.
Lohmann adds that the current plan is to re-open the Large Animal Clinic for regular services once diagnostic testing determines that in-clinic horses pose no risk of virus shedding and once the hospital facilities have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Clients with scheduled appointments should contact the WCVM Large Animal Clinic for updates.
“The Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the owners of the stable and the owners of horses involved in the outbreak have taken these precautions to prevent any spread of infection,” says Lohmann.
For further information about EHV-1, horse owners are urged to contact their local veterinarian, or they can contact Dr. Katharina Lohmann at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (306-966-7157 or 306-966-7178). Fact sheets about equine herpes virus type 1 as well as updates about the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s operations are also available.
EQUINE HERPES VIRUS FACT SHEETS
• Information from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) with additional input from Dr. Katharina Lohmann: Equine Herpes Virus Fact Sheet.
• Special on line supplement from The Horse (five parts):
- 1. Herpes by the Numbers
- 2. Neurologic Herpesvirus
- 3. Herpesvirus Vaccination
- 4. EHV Latency
- 5. Herpesvirus Management Basics
• Information from the Merck Veterinary Manual.
• “WCVM Infectious Disease Control.” By Dr. Katharina Lohmann, Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Source: American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
