The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continues to move swiftly and consistently to take enforcement action in response to animal welfare violations. As part of its effort to make its actions transparent and accessible to the public, APHIS is highlighting enforcement actions taken in response to violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA).

Concerns about equine piroplasmosis (EP), a blood-borne disease considered to be foreign to the United States, have prompted educational efforts to inform veterinarians and horse owners about the disease. To further these educational efforts, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is releasing A Literature Review of Equine Piroplasmosis.

From the USDA:

“Some recent stories have suggested that the Fort Dodge Animal Health West Nile Virus Vaccine approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) may cause pregnant mares to abort or give birth to deformed foals. The misleading information in those articles has sparked many anxious phone calls from horse owners, veterinarians, and others involved with horses.

York Region Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hanif Kassam, has announced that a dead crow has undergone testing and is presumed to be positive for West Nile virus (WNV ). The crow was found in the town of Newmarket. The bird is the first presumed WNV-positive bird reported in the York Region of Ontario, and the first in Canada this year.

Equine cases haven’t been reported in

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is sponsoring an equine health forum on Fri., Jan. 17, as part of USA Equestrian’s Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky. The forum is free to all USA Equestrian members and guests attending the meeting.

The topics and speakers are: 

“Emerging Equine Diseases” –Dr. Genevieve Fontaine from the