Companion Animal Welfare

Horse Equine Herpesvirus Welfare and Biosecurity

Equine herpesvirus type 1 can cause neurological disease and pregnancy loss, and biosecurity during outbreaks protects individual horse welfare.

Key Facts

EHV-1 neuropathogenic strains cause equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM)
EHM causes sudden-onset ataxia, bladder dysfunction, and hindlimb weakness
Outbreaks spread rapidly at competitions through nose-to-nose contact and fomites
Emergency biosecurity protocols include temperature monitoring and movement restrictions
Vaccination reduces risk of respiratory disease but has limited efficacy against neurological strains

Welfare Considerations

EHM causes severe welfare consequences including paralysis, inability to urinate, and sometimes euthanasia. Rapid biosecurity implementation during outbreaks prevents spread and protects individual horses from neurological disease.

What You Can Do

Implement temperature monitoring at competitions during EHV outbreak alerts
Follow FEI and national federation EHV biosecurity protocols at events
Report suspected EHV cases promptly to enable rapid biosecurity implementation