Philip Swinton, President of Thoroughbred Breeders Tasmania, stated today that a case of EHV 1 has been confirmed in Tasmania. It appears that this came from a mare transported from Victoria.
According to recent reports 40% of all mares in Australia show signs of contact with EHV 1 (Equine Herpes Virus). Prompt action appears to have contained this virus, but all breeders should be aware of possible signs as it is probable that this virus is latent in a number of mares in the state and can be triggered by stress or other factors.Anyone suspecting this virus should refer to the media release from DPIWE or contact their local veterinary service.
Tasmania’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Rod Andrewartha, is reminding the owners of pregnant mares to be vigilant for signs of disease in their horses and take appropriate precautions not to introduce disease.
This follows a recent case of EHV1 diagnosed in horses on a property in the north of the state. “EHV1 is a viral disease that can cause neurological signs and abortions in pregnant mares, and in some cases it can cause a number of mares in an affected mob to abort,” Dr Andrewartha said. “In the current case some of the affected mares were showing ataxia: that is they are unsteady when they walk and have their feet wide apart, before the abortions were seen. “If you see ataxia or abortions in your horses, isolate the horses from other horses and contact your veterinarian. “If it will be some time before the vet can get there, collect the aborted foetus in a strong plastic bag and put it somewhere cool so the vet can check it and take samples if necessary. “Use gloves and wash your hands after handling the foetus. “Horses infected with EHV1 usually remain latently infected for life.
The virus will remain dormant but disease can be triggered by a combination of pregnancy and stress and may cause abortions. “The disease may also be caused by introducing an infected mare into a group of previously unaffected mares. “To help prevent this and other diseases, don’t introduce new horses into groups of pregnant mares and avoid unnecessary stress on pregnant mares. “Your vet can advise you on preventative measures you can take to minimise the risk of EHV1 abortions in the future,” Dr Andrewartha said.
EHV1 is seen occasionally in Tasmania and is a notifiable disease, so cases must be reported to DPIPWE. Report any notifiable animal disease on the all-hours Emergency Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888.
Your veterinarian should be consulted as a matter of urgency if you suspect EHV1 infection on your property so a management plan can be initiated as soon as possible to limit losses.
For more information and to download a fact sheet on EHV1, visit www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au and type Horse Welfare and Diseases into the search engine.