Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Don, thanks for posting all this info on RC.

It is important we know what this virus is in order to battle it.

When WNV came out, I had a vet that refused to believe it was a real threat, even when I told him the horse I had was exposed and was showing symptoms. He refused to treat it and I ended up hauling the horse down south to it owner to get it treated. The last thing it needed was to be hauled, but it had to be done.

Hopefully the vets here in Ca. will be willing to realize that new diseases will and do come here and to be an ostrich and hide their head in the sand won't make it go away.

 

Thanks again.

 

Lori B.

Don Huston <donhuston@xxxxxxx> wrote:

                          Part 4 of 4

In Ohio in 2003, Finley University had a large scale outbreak of the
neurological form of EHV1 in the show horse population. Despite heroic
24 hour care given by the 2 veterinarians on staff, over twenty animals
died or were euthanized. What is of interest in this case was that
animals vaccinated against EHV1/4 had both a higher morbidity (attack
rate) and mortality (death rate) as compared to the horses that no
vaccinations at all (Dr. Stephen Reed, The Ohio State University,
private correspondence, January 24, 2003).

There is yet hope to be gleaned from this grim fact. The few horses that
were vaccinated with a particular monovalent vaccine specific to EHV1, a
modified life vaccine, suffered no deaths. The numbers, however, were
small. Please understand, there are few miracles in life and there are
no miracle drugs. However, there is a difference in the immunity
conferred upon your horse depending on which vaccine you use. By far the
preferred vaccine to use in the present situation is called Rhinomune
(Pfizer). It is a modified life vaccine (easiest on the body),
monovalent (no EHV4 or any other antigen to dilute the immune response)
and it is safe. This is the same vaccine that was distributed by Norden
in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been around for 35 years and has been
proven to be safe. Do not use the Pneumobort K vaccine made by Fort
Dodge. This is a poor quality vaccine with poor ability to stimulate
immunity. Why else would brood mares have to be vaccinated with numbing
regularity at months 5, 7 and 9 every year of pregnancy? How long would
pregnant women remain quiescent if this were prescribed for them? Why do
our horses continue to have to be subjected to this vaccine? If we were
not so used to this situation we would raise our voices in disgust that
this vaccine is still around. More effective than Pneumobort K are the
flu/Rhino and EHV1/4 combination vaccines. These are better than nothing
but horses vaccinated with these vaccines have been shown to succumb to
the disease and still die.

In the simplest terms: Do not vaccinate your horse if your horse has
potentially been exposed to EHV1. Treat him like royalty for 21 days and
keep your ears and eyes open to what is happening in your local area. If
he shows no signs of disease at 21 days, go back to your old routine.
Feel free to vaccinate him at that point in time. The most effective
vaccine to use prior to exposure is Rhinomune (Pfizer). Repeat the
vaccination in three weeks.

We must all be vigilant to stop the spread of this disease in
California. If you feel your horse is depressed, has a fever especially
if there is nasal discharge present, you can not assume, at this moment
in time, that your horse has a cold and will self-heal. Please call your
veterinarian, ask him to test the horse for Equine Herpes Virus exposure
using blood (buffy coat PCR) or nasal swabs (virus isolation). He may
not want to come out (give the guy a break, he deserves it). These are
fairly simple diagnostic procedures that can be performed by a
veterinary technician. Give him verbal permission to send a technician,
and release him from liability concerns. The results should be available
soon and chances are overwhelming that you can stop worrying. Your
neighbors will appreciate your efforts.

Merry Christmas and good will to all, especially the hard working and
talented polo ponies of this world

Noel S. Muller, DVM
Los Caballos Equine Practice, Inc
Galt CA 95632
209 334 1660
LosCaballos2@xxxxxxx

Don Huston  <donhuston@xxxxxxx>