Another confirmed case of EHV-1 has been identified.  Read more ...

August 23, 2011: Confirmed case of EHV-1 neurotropathogenic strain
On August 23, 2011, a 15 year old Oldenburg mare from Sonoma County has confirmed positive for the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus-1. The mare is isolated, quarantined and undergoing treatment at a veterinary referral hospital. The premises of origin is under veterinary observation and the potentially exposed horses temperatures are being monitored twice daily. Epidemiologic investigation conducted by CDFA reveals minimal disease risk based on lack of animal movement on and off the affected premises. The investigation has determined the positive horse has no direct link to the May 2011 outbreak of EHV-1 in cutting horses which resulted in 22 positive confirmed equine cases in California. CDFA staff will continue to monitor the situation to ensure disease control.

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.

It's really hard to blog when you're not doing horse-related stuff, like riding, or showing, or taking lessons ...  So, for the next two weeks my posts may get VERY short.  

And I know I've mentioned it in passing, but I'll be in Europe for several weeks in early June and won't be able to post at all. Hopefully my horsey pals will fill in for me while I am gone by posting on the "Who Said That?" page.  I'll make that my home page so that you don't have to see my "On Vacation" sign every time you visit the blog.

With all of our local barns on "lockdown," no one is doing any riding and most of our nearby shows have been cancelled. Thanks to our new pal, EHV-1, I've had to start a new series.  I am calling it, "The Follow-Ups."  Yep, that's right.  I am following up from things I may have skipped before, or am telling you more of the story.  Here's the first one.

Do you remember that little piece I did a few weeks ago with Speedy G and his salt block?  If not, you can read about it here.  I was at the barn on Saturday morning doing a few different jobs around Speedy's stall and decided to check his salt lick.  If you'll remember, it's in his feeder which is too high for me to see over without standing on tiptoe.  I peeked over the top and got an "ew, gross!" look at the inside of the feeder.

The salt lick was brilliant white, but the rest of the feeder had chunks of beet pulp/rice bran mash crusted all over the place. Gross.  I am glad he's using the salt lick, but I think I need to dry-brush it out more frequently.  Here's a photo:

Wait ... Don't skip it ... it's not more information.  I think we've all had plenty of that, at least for this week.  

Wednesday's Facebook postings were almost exclusively about EHV-1 and EHM ... well on my "wall" anyway.  Since 99% of my "friends" are equestrian related in one way or another, that's all I saw.  I suppose if I had more of a life, my "wall" wouldn't have been filled exclusively with comments about herpes!  And truth be told, the 1% of my friends who aren't related to my equestrian life, completely understand my ... passion sounds so much better than obsession ... but, you know what I mean.

And on to  the REAL point of this post.  I love my vet.  Have I mentioned that before?  Dr. Tolley and Dr. Blanton of Bakersfield Vet Hospital were both interviewed by the print and television news media.  As soon as I read their names in the Bakersfield Californian (our local newspaper) and saw their faces on my TV, I couldn't help but excitedly squeal to my husband, "There they are!  Those are MY vets!"  He rolled his eyes and nodded.  I think there was also a deep sigh that smacked of exasperation.  I am sure he was thinking, so that's where all our money goes!  And hopefully this doesn't cost us any more ...

I was so excited to see the people whom I trust implicitly to care for my horses being asked to share their professional knowledge with the rest of the world.  I felt so ... vindicated!  That's right ... uh-huh ... those are MY people!  And then, Dr. Blanton, who returned from vacation JUST as this whole thing exploded, immediately got to work and started updating us on BVH's Facebook page.  She opened up a Q & A sorta thing, and practically begged us to pester her with questions.  

I ask you, are there any doubts as to why I love my vet?