Respiratory Viruses in Horses: Prevention and Management

Equine herpesvirus, influenza, and rhinitis viruses circulate in horse populations, requiring vaccination and biosecurity to protect welfare.

Key Facts

Equine influenza (EI) spreads rapidly through droplet transmission and affects unvaccinated horses severely
Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disease, abortion storms, and neurological disease
EHV-1 neurological form (EHM) causes ascending myeloencephalopathy with poor prognosis
FEI requires influenza vaccination within 6 months plus 21 days before competition
Biosecurity measures including quarantine of new arrivals reduce introduction risk significantly
Vaccination reduces clinical severity but may not fully prevent infection or shedding
Outbreak management requires isolation, rest, and strict hygiene protocols

Welfare Considerations

Respiratory viral disease causes genuine suffering in horses - fever, nasal discharge, pharyngitis, and systemic malaise result in loss of appetite, reduced exercise tolerance, and prolonged recovery. EHM causes devastating neurological decline with profound welfare impact. Prevention through appropriate vaccination and biosecurity protects individual horses and limits outbreak spread. Horses forced to compete during early infection shed virus to others and experience welfare harm from exercise during illness - withdrawal from competition is the welfare-positive choice.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate horses against equine influenza and EHV-1 according to current guidelines
Implement 14-21 day quarantine for any new horses arriving at your property
Keep records of vaccinations to demonstrate compliance with competition requirements
Withdraw horses from competition or training when showing any respiratory signs
Report suspected EHM to your veterinarian and competent authority immediately