Equine herpesvirus case confirmed in Colorado

The Colorado Department of Agriculture is investigating a confirmed case of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) at a Douglas County, Colo., property. The affected horse, which was euthanized after displaying severe neurological signs associated with the disease, was imported from a private owner in Iowa through a transport company. The facility where the horse was stabled is currently under quarantine. Three other facilities in Colorado that received horses from the same transport company have isolated their horses and are monitoring them for signs of EHV-1. Clinical signs of disease include fever, decreased coordination, loss of tail tone and urine dribbling.

At this time, no other horses have showed signs of disease and the Colorado state veterinarian is not recommending movement or event restrictions on horses outside of the four facilities mentioned. The Colorado Department of Agriculture points out that unlike the EHV-1 outbreak of 2011, this case is not associated with an equine show or event.