Another EHV-1 Post: some good news and some hmmm news

The CDFA site has been a great place to read about California's EHM news.  There's a link just over there, to the right.  CDFA has reported that as of May 25, 2011, California had no NEW confirmed cases of EHV-1 caused cases of EHM.  That makes two consecutive days.  This is very good news.  Another week of no new cases might mean that things can go back to normal ... or something close anyway.

The hmmm news ...  The following (scroll down a bit) is what CDFA is now recommending for horse shows.  I hope these are just temporary biosecurity measures meant to "sort of" safely allow people to continue to show.  Most small to medium shows just don't have the personnel to follow through with step 2 if these were to become permanent recommendations.  Here's the recommendation, copied and pasted directly from the CDFA site:

Based on what is known today, we are suggesting that managers of horse shows or events occurring in California during the coming weeks incorporate the following biosecurity measures to minimize the risk for all participants:

1. Event managers should create a short document for participants to sign upon arrival at the show grounds to confirm that their horses, mules, and burros attending the show/event have not attended or had prior contact with horses from the NCHA Championships in Ogden, Utah and/or the Kern County Cutting Event in Bakersfield, CA, or been on the same premises with horses that have returned from these events. Horses that have attended, or been exposed to horses returning from either event will not be allowed to enter the show grounds.



2. Establish a “No Fever” policy for horses attending the event. Give the participants prior notice of the new “No Fever” policy before they arrive at the show grounds. Provide instructions for obtaining the horse’s temperature and an index card on which to record temperature readings for each horse.
• a. All horses will have temperatures taken twice daily and results will be posted on front of the stall/pen for inspection.
• b. Any horse will be subject to random temperature check by the show veterinarian or designated member of the veterinary staff during the event.
• c. Any horse with a fever of 102°F or greater will be removed from the event and premises immediately (i.e. within 2 hours of detection of fever).
• d. If the owner cannot move the horse off the premises, a professional horse hauler contracted by the event will remove the horse to a designated isolation area at the owner’s expense.
3. It is understood that some (most) horses with a fever will not have EHV-1; however, in the interest of conducting a safe event under the current circumstances, the no fever policy will be enforced. If you do not wish to comply with these safety measures please do not attend the event.