Nevada Department of Agriculture orders quarantine on horse facility in Clark County


Contact

Rebecca Allured
public information officer
775-842-3530
(CLARK COUNTY, Nev.) - October 23, 2019

As state quarantine officer, Nevada Department of Agriculture Director Jennifer Ott has ordered a quarantine on a horse facility in Clark County, due to multiple horses reported with equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1).

“We received confirmation that tests came back positive for EHV-1 at this facility, and we are working closely with local veterinarians to address the situation and prevent the spread of disease,” Dr. Richard Simmonds, interim state veterinarian for the NDA, said.

There is no public health risk, therefore details about the facility cannot be released, per Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 571.160.

EHV-1 is a reportable disease, meaning when veterinarians diagnose it, they are required to notify the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), per NRS 571.160. A list of reportable diseases can be found at agri.nv.gov.

“Earlier this year, a statewide outbreak of EHV-1 impacted the Nevada Junior/High School Rodeo schedule,” Dr. Simmonds said. “We are proactively issuing this quarantine as a preventative measure, but the most important preventative measures come from horse owners.”

Horse owners are urged to practice biosecurity, which means doing everything possible to reduce chances of an infectious disease being transferred by people, animals, equipment or vehicles. Although humans cannot catch EHV-1, they can carry it and pass it on to other animals. EHV-1 and other diseases can be easily transferred on boots, coats, gloves and equipment. Some basic practices include:

  1. Never share equipment between horses, and always wear clean clothes when going from ill horses to others.
  2. Always start chores at healthy horses, and end with sick or recovering (within 30 days) horses.
  3. Avoid common areas such as hitching rails, wash racks, etc. during an outbreak.

In addition, horses that may have been exposed should be monitored closely for signs of disease, such as fever, cough or runny nose and seek veterinarian care for any fevers over 102 degrees, according to Dr. Simmonds. The average incubation period for EHV-1 is four to seven days, but some may take up to 14 days. Eight to 12 days after the infection first appears, neurological disease may occur.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) promotes a business climate that is fair, economically viable and encourages a sustainable environment that serves to protect food, fiber and human health and safety through effective service and education. The NDA includes the divisions of Administration, Animal Industry, Consumer Equitability, Food and Nutrition and Plant Industry.

 

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