EHM
In many horses, the only sign of EHM infection is fever, which can go undetected. | Photo: Kevin Thompson/The Horse

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has announced the state’s first confirmed case of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) this year.

“The 5-year-old Standardbred gelding from Washtenaw County tested positive for … EHM after developing a sudden onset of neurologic signs: weakness, incoordination in the hind limbs, and difficulty urinating,” the MDARD said in a March 27 Facebook post. “The horse is currently under veterinary care and is isolated. The stable where the horse originated from is under quarantine and is being monitored closely.”

Herpesvirus is highly contagious among horses and can cause a variety of ailments in equids, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and EHM. In many horses, the only sign of EHV-1 infection is fever, which can go undetected

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