BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

Trade Zone: Hoofcare and Disease

Notes from the 2012 AAEP Conference Programs.

Download Now

Beulah Barn Cleared; Another Horse Tested

A barn at Beulah Park in Ohio has been released from quarantine, but a possible case of equine herpesvirus is being investigated in another barn, officials said Jan. 8.

Two Beulah Park Barns Under Quarantine

Two barns remained under quarantine Jan. 4 at Beulah Park in Ohio as state veterinary officials continue to investigate possible equine herpesvirus.

Kentucky to Require Piroplasmosis Testing

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has issued a letter stating that effective Jan. 1, 2011, any horse shipping to a track in the state must have a certificate showing it is negative for equine piroplasmosis.

Pending Tests, Calder Horses Restricted

Calder Casino & Race Course Sept. 12 placed racing and training restrictions on horses in one of its barns and in an adjacent training center while those horses are being tested for a non-contagious tick-borne disease.

Lone Star Quarantine Ends; Lab Error Cited

The quarantine at Lone Star Park was lifted after officials discussed an error in the reading of lab results that indicated three horses had equine piroplasmosis.

Lone Star Horses Test Positive for Disease

Two horses at Lone Star Park have tested positive for Equine Piroplasmosis. In addition, a third horse that left Lone Star and had been shipped to New Mexico also tested positive.

Two Feverish Horses Removed From Hoosier

Hoosier Park Racing & Casino has detected two horses in the quarantine barn exhibiting fever, so as a precautionary measure, both horses were removed from the grounds and shipped to a secondary quarantine facility per recommendation of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health.

FRIENDS Has Friend in Florida HBPA

In December, the Florida Research Institute for Equine Nurturing Development and Safety, a horse rescue ranch in Broward County, Fla., was unable to foot its bills, and as a result, was nearly forced to close its doors. Thanks in part to several recent donations -- including $10,000 from the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association -- the facility has been able to keep afloat in spite of the dismal economy.

West Nile Case Confirmed in Kentucky

Kentucky agriculture officials said Sept. 18 that a 9-year-old Saddlebred gelding has been confirmed positive for West Nile virus. It's the first WNV case in the state so far this year.

One Charles Town Barn Still in Lockdown

One barn is in lockdown and movement of horses on or off the grounds has ceased, but training continues at Charles Town Races & Slots, the West Virginia track that instituted the precautions after a horse in its stable area displayed neurologic signs considered to be consistent with equine herpesvirus-1.

Tent Caterpillars Hatch in Central KY

Experts have reported that Eastern tent caterpillars are developing normally this spring and have just completed the egg hatch stage. Controlling the caterpillars is vital to area horse farms, as University of Kentucky research has strongly linked them with outbreaks of mare reproductive loss syndrome, which can cause late-term foal losses, early-term fetal losses, and weak foals.

New Zealand Tests Imports for Equine Flu

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand is retesting samples taken from horses imported directly from the United States to the Karaka quarantine facility due to conflicting test results that indicate the presence of equine influenza, the Sportsman of Australia has reported.

Filly at Charles Town Negative for Virus

A quarantine at Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia was lifted March 13 after officials determined a horse stabled there was not suffering from equine herpesvirus.

Barn at Charles Town Races Quarantined

A barn at Charles Town Races & Slots was placed under quarantine March 10 after a local veterinarian reported he was treating a 4-year-old filly for neurological symptoms of an unknown origin.

Dylan Thomas Out of Japan Cup

Dylan Thomas, who was recently named Cartier Horse of the Year and top older horse in Europe, is no longer a contender for the Nov. 25 Japan Cup (Jpn-I) due to not testing negative for equine viral arteritis.

Equine Influenza in Australia Could Affect Melbourne Cup

The spread of equine influenza in Australia could cause the Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) to be run later than usual. Forty-seven horses have tested positive.

Disease Outbreak Not Impacting Movement of Horses

The movement of horses to and from the United Kingdom hasn't been affected by the recent small outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at two farms in Surrey in southern England. Overseas-trained runners can continue to run in races in Great Britain providing the correct certification has been completed.

FMD Outbreak Restricts European Horse Travel

British officials confirmed another outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease on a cattle farm in England. Horses can no longer travel freely among Britain, France, and Ireland.

Horse Farms Told to Track Caterpillar Activity

Though there aren't indications of widespread high populations of the Eastern tent caterpillar, University of Kentucky officials said its an optimal time for horse farms to assess caterpillar activity and implement control strategies while the larvae are small and most susceptible.

Group Begins Study in Wake of Bacterial Disease

A working group in Central Kentucky has begun an epidemiological study in the wake of 40 cases of equine leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that has resulted in foal loss in some mares.

Philly Park Horse Tested for Equine Herpesvirus

Philadelphia Park officials were cautiously optimistic a horse from the barn of Ramon Martin does not have equine herpesvirus despite having been exposed to the virus at an equine clinic in New Jersey.

New Jersey Cases Consistent With MRLS

A farm in northern New Jersey experienced high abortion rates in early June in fields where there were Eastern tent caterpillars.

One Case of MRLS Confirmed in Florida; Tests Pending

One confirmed case and two suspect cases of mare reproductive loss syndrome have been diagnosed in Alachua County, Fla., according to Dr. Dana Zimmel of the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Kentucky Farm Managers Address EHV-1 Concerns

In light of recent outbreaks of the equineherpes virus (EHV-1) and the Feb. 13 opening of most Central Kentucky breeding sheds, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club held a discussion at its Feb. 9 meeting on how best to prevent the spread of the virus.

EHV Concerns Close Penn National Stable Gate to Outside Horses

While no new cases of the Equineherpes Virus (EHV-1) have been diagnosed at Penn National Race Course since a horse trained by Todd Beattie tested positive Jan. 20, the stablegate remains closed to outside horses.

Equine Herpesvirus Update on Maryland Farm

Test results on the horse euthanized last week on a private Kent County, Md, farm confirm that the horse was infected with equine herpesvirus (EHV-1).

No New Cases of Equine Herpesvirus at Turfway Park

As of 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 10, there were no new cases of equine herpesvirus at Turfway Park, said Rusty Ford of the Kentucky State Veterinarian's office.

No New Cases of Equine Herpesvirus at Turfway Park

As of 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 10, there were no new cases of equine herpesvirus at Turfway Park, said Rusty Ford of the Kentucky State Veterinarian's office.

Second Barn Quarantined at Turfway Because of Virus

A second barn at Turfway Park has been quarantined because of equine herpesvirus, which was first discovered at the Northern Kentucky racetrack the week before Christmas.

Suspected Case of Equine Herpesvirus at Pimlico

Officials at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland have isolated five horses in the detention barn and put a "hold order" on barn 5 while they determine whether a horse stabled in the barn, who was euthanized earlier this week, was infected with equine herpesvirus.

More Tests Scheduled for Horses Exposed to Virus

Horses in Barn 26 at Turfway Park were to be retested the evening of Dec. 28 for evidence of equine herpesvirus to determine if any other horses are positive for the virus, said Rusty Ford of the Kentucky State Veterinarian's office. Results are expected by the weekend.

Turfway Heightens Precautions After Filly Tests Positive

Turfway Park heightened precautionary measures Dec. 23 after a 3-year-old filly was diagnosed with equine herpesvirus, a contagious disease with respiratory and neurological symptoms.

Turfway Barn Quarantined Pending Test Results

A barn at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky was placed under quarantine Dec. 21 after a horse showed signs of suspected equine herpesvirus, a contagious upper respiratory and neurological disease.

UK Continues MRLS Research

Researchers investigating mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS) have made a causative link between the ingestion of live eastern tent caterpillars in pastures and MRLS-type abortions.

Quarantined Horses Resume Regular Training

Horses from the last of three Churchill Downs barns under quarantine because of an equine herpesvirus outbreak resumed regular training hours and racing June 12.

Prairie Meadows Lets Horses In, But Not Out

The quarantine at Prairie Meadows was relaxed slightly June 8 to allow horses to enter the stable area, but no horses will be allowed to leave the grounds until test results for a possible equine herpesvirus case are known.

Equine Herpesvirus Suspected at Prairie Meadows

Horses in one barn at Prairie Meadows in Iowa have been quarantined due to a possible case of equine herpesvirus.

Most Horses Cleared to Leave Indiana Downs Barn

The Indiana Board of Animal Health has lifted a quarantine placed on 45 horses confined to the receiving barn at Indiana Downs.

NYRA Prepares Special Barn for Shippers

Extra precautions are being taken to ensure Belmont Park is safe for horses running in the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) because of a suspected case of the contagious respiratory disease strangles. A special barn for out-of-state horses competing in the Belmont is being prepared to eliminate any chance of spreading the disease.

Monmouth Reacts to Delaware Stangles Case

As a result of a confirmed case of the equine respiratory disease strangles at Delaware Park, horses currently stabled at the Delaware racetrack will not be permitted to ship to Monmouth Park. In addition, and any horse that ships to Delaware from Monmouth will not be permitted to return.

Single Case of Strangles Reported at Delaware Park

The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission veterinarians were notified May 25 about a confirmed case of strangles found in a Thoroughbred stabled at Delaware Park.

Third Barn Cleared for Training at Churchill Downs

Horses stabled in the third Churchill Downs barn placed under quarantine by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture because of confirmed cases of equine herpes virus have been cleared to return to the track for limited training.

Indiana Downs Reopens With Quarantine in Place

The receiving barn at Indiana Downs will be quarantined for the remainder of the Thoroughbred meet given the fact two horses have returned positive tests for strangles, an equine respiratory diesase.

Indiana Downs Horses Tested for Strangles

Some horses at Indiana Downs are being tested for strangles after two of them showed symptoms of the equine respiratory disease in the receiving barn May 19. Live racing subsequently was canceled for the evening.

Vets: Signs Consistent With Neurologic Equine Herpesvirus

Necropsies from the two horses affected by neurologic signs at Churchill Downs showed the horses had lesions consistent with equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (damage to the brain and/or spinal cord). Three other horses are currently showing neurologic signs.

Preakness Runners Not Affected by Churchill Quarantine

Churchill Downs and Kentucky veterinary officials are segregating horses because of a possible outbreak of an equine respiratory virus in three barns, but no horses entered in Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) are affected, officials said.

National ID System Necessary, Officials Say

The National Animal Identification System, still a work in progress but headed for mandatory implementation, could have been useful in tracking and containing strangles in Florida and Kentucky, a veterinarian with the United States Department of Agriculture said.

FTBOA Hosts Round Table on Strangles

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association officials said they are satisfied the strangles situation is being properly handled in Florida.

Nineteen Horses Test Positive for Possible Strangles

Initial test results show that 19 horses have tested positive for possible strangles infection at the Trackside training center in Louisville, Ky., according to information provided by Churchill Downs.