According to a report by their attending veterinarian, two of three horses that tested positive for equine influenza in Douglas County, Nebraska, also tested positive for equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4). | Photo: Wikimedia Commons

According to a report by their attending veterinarian, two of three horses that tested positive for equine influenza (EI) in Douglas County, Nebraska, also tested positive for equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4).

The first horse, a 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding with unknown vaccination status, started experiencing clinical signs on March 8. Signs included anorexia, coughing, fever, and nasal discharge. The horse was confirmed positive for both EI and EHV-4 on March 13 and is reported as recovering. Eleven additional horses are suspected positive for equine influenza, and 50 horses were exposed.

Two additional Douglas County horses subsequently tested positive for equine influenza: an unvaccinated 6-year-old Mustang mare, which also tested positive for EHV-4, and a 9-year-old Quarter Horse gelding. Both confirmed cases were reported as unvaccinated. They presented with coughing, fever, and nasal discharge (the Quarter Horse gelding on March 6) and are reported as recovering. In this outbreak, three additional horses were suspected positive and eight were exposed