Churchill Downs restricted the movement of horses off its back until further notice after five horses kept in isolation stalls tested positive on 30 November for equine herpes virus. infected. The day before, the stables had been placed under quarantine after an unidentified horse fell ill, and then, while the horse was being treated at a equine medical clinic, tested. identified it as having the EHV-1 strain of the equine herpes virus.
Rusty Ford, equine operations adviser with the State Veterinary Office at the Kentucky Department, said the five horses that tested positive were separated and moved to another barn away from the eight horses that were quarantined. found the presence of equine herpes virus in their samples. Agriculture.
Churchill Downs released a statement saying the move was taken “out of an abundance of caution.” A day earlier, the track had implemented biosecurity protocols for the affected barns.
“Churchill Downs is working closely and in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to ensure maximum effectiveness of its health and safety procedures throughout its management,” the statement added. “Five additional horses that tested positive for EHV-1 were asymptomatic but were successfully isolated from the affected stall, where they will await a further series of tests. Continue testing those potentially exposed horses and horses of affected trainers are underway.”
Horses infected with EHV-1 may experience neurological problems, lethargy, and fever, while others have only mild symptoms or are asymptomatic carriers. It is a viral disease that can be controlled and treated.
Quarantine and transport restrictions are intended to reduce the risk of spread in the equine population. Quarantine measures are generally maintained on horses until state veterinary officials receive follow-up testing that no horses have tested positive for equine herpes virus after a specified period of time. . Quarantine can sometimes last two weeks or more.
Fonner Park and The Parx . Race.
Late November is a busy shipping time in Kentucky, with many horses sent south near or after the end of the Churchill Downs for winter racing in warmer climates. Churchill Downs concluded its fall meeting on November 27.
Ford said health and veterinary officials in other states have been notified to monitor horses that have come out of stables that are currently quarantined for racing elsewhere and that officials in those states will determine health actions and procedures for those horses.
Even before Churchill Downs began imposing restrictions on its stables, several tracks announced on November 29-30 that they would no longer accept shippers from the track. Louisville, Ky., more.
Churchill Downs . Campus O Besos will be disqualified from Cigar Handicap (G1) December 3 due to EHV-1 cases at Churchill Downs. According to Pat Mckenna, NYRA vice president of communications, while in transit to New York from Kentucky on Wednesday, his truck was turned around due to the New York Racing Association’s decision on Wednesday to ban it. shippers for Churchill Downs. The day before, the NYRA had intended to allow him to participate when Churchill had only one positive for EHV-1.
McKenna said the NYRA’s decision was made before the Churchill Downs shipping restrictions were announced.
