Bend Equine Medical Center, in Bend, Oregon, reported June 22 that equine influenza has been confirmed in several horses that competed at the Far West Championship Horse Show, held June 17-20 at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, in Redmond.

“As show veterinarians for the Far West Championship Horse Show … we have been involved in the care of horses affected by an outbreak of a contagious upper respiratory infection,” the clinic said in a statement on its Facebook page June 20. “There are currently 15 affected horses, ranging in age from 1 to 7 years old. Fourteen of the 15 are from one barn on the grounds. Affected horses are showing fevers, coughing, nasal discharge, and lethargy.”

None of those horses showed neurologic signs, and none received any treatment other than flunixin meglumine (Banamine), the clinic said.

At that time, the clinic asked owners of affected horses to self-quarantine their horses at home for at least two weeks and for owners of all horses that attended the show to monitor their horses for fevers or other signs of infection. Clinic veterinarians collected blood and nasal swab samples to identify the infectious agent