Three horses at a King County boarding facility are now confirmed positive for the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The newest cases consist of a 17-year-old draft gelding and a 6-year-old crossbreed gelding. The 17-year-old gelding, which was reported as having been vaccinated, presented on April 23 with clinical signs that included ataxia (loss of muscular control), urinary incontinence, and nasal discharge and was confirmed positive on April 24. He is reportedly recovering. The 6-year-old gelding, which was reported as having been vaccinated, presented on April 25 with fever and was confirmed April 29. He is reported as affected and alive.

Thirty horses have been exposed, and the barn is under quarantine, being monitored by a veterinarian.

EHV 101

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 equine herpesvirus myeloencephalitis (EHM, the neurologic form)