Protect horses from Equine Herpes Virus urges Pfizer

Pfizer Animal Health is urging horse owners, yard managers and trainers to understand more about keeping their horses protected from the effects of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV), a contagious viral infection that can damage health, cause abortion and significantly impact performance. To this end Pfizer has launched an awareness campaign to help horse owners learn more about the severity of EHV and the best ways to prevent the disease.

EHV is carried by most horses in the UK.1 It can cause respiratory disease, an associated loss of performance and can put a horse out of work for a number of weeks while it recovers from the infection. EHV is also the most commonly diagnosed cause of infectious abortion. More rarely it can affect the nervous system, resulting in paralysis, collapse and a very poor prognosis. Once a horse is infected it can harbour the virus throughout its life and potentially shed the disease to other animals without showing any outward signs. Re-activation of EHV and shedding from infected horses tends to happen when they are stressed – typically moving yards or when they are in hard work. Even without showing any obvious clinical signs EHV can affect the athletic performance of the horse by putting a strain on its immune system.The disease is transmitted from horse to horse through the respiratory tract, by inhalation of the viral particles shed by infected horses.

Symptoms, if there are any, may include a rise in body temperature, nasal discharge and a dry cough in younger horses. The horse may also show signs of depression and lethargy. Good yard management, such as avoiding overcrowding and reducing the potential stresses that may set off re-activation, is essential to prevent the spread of EHV, but this isn’t the whole answer. Vaccination can also play a pivotal role. Vaccinating every horse will help minimise the severity of the disease itself and, importantly, will also help to reduce the amount of infective virus that is shed to other in-contact horses.Ben Gaskell, Pfizer’s equine veterinary advisor said: “It pays to be vigilant and address the problem of EHV before it becomes a significant health issue for your horse. The best approach is to discuss the issue with your vet who will be able to provide advice on suitable yard management and a vaccination programme.”