Oklahoma Racehorse Euthanized Due to EHV-1
In many horses, the first or only sign of EHV-1 infection is fever, which can go undetected. | Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) confirmed on Nov. 14 that a 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly was euthanized due to the severity of her clinical signs of the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). She first experienced signs, including acute onset, ataxia (loss of control of body movements), fever, and recumbency (inability to rise), on Nov. 12.

“ODAFF was informed last night of a positive EHV-1 test sample from a horse stabled at Remington Park,” said Michael Herrin, DVM, ODAFF assistant state veterinarian. “The horse was euthanized Tuesday evening and the barn it was housed in is currently under quarantine.”

The barn housed 66 other horses, which are now sidelined from racing for at least 14 days, during which they will be monitored for clinical signs and temperature exceeding 101.5°F.

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 EHM

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