Disease Alerts

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: Unknown; 
Number Exposed: Unknown; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 8; Gender: Mare; Breed: Quarter Horse (QH); Usage: Barrel Racing; Onset of Clinical Signs: 5/5/2026; Clinical Signs: Neurologic-rear limbs, unable to stand. Bilateral nasal discharge. Bladder atony.; Confirmation Date: 5/12/2026; 

Comments: Tracing efforts are ongoing; however, no additional EHV-1 positive horses or horses with clinical signs consistent with EHV-1 have been identified to date.;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: Unknown; 
Number Exposed: 42; 
Facility Type: Event Center; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 21; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Thoroughbred (TB); Usage: Horse Show; Onset of Clinical Signs: 4/17/2026; Clinical Signs: The gelding displayed clinical signs including lethargy, distal limb edema, and acute onset ataxia. He was evaluated at HITS Culpeper by the referring veterinarian and was referred to an equine hospital. The horse was recumbent on arrival, and was admitted directly to the isolation unit by dedicated personnel. The horse was subsequently euthanized. Forty-two horses in Barn 5 at the showgrounds have been quarantined by the state veterinarian; Horse Status: Euthanized

UPDATE: The horse's home farm (13 horses) in Loudoun County, VA has been quarantined by the state veterinarian. According to the state veterinarian's office, as of April 28, 2026, there are no new cases associated with this alert. 

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 11; 
Facility Type: Private Facility; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 5; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Standardbred; Usage: Pleasure Riding; Clinical Signs: Neurologic, ataxic; Confirmation Date: 2/25/2026; Horse Status: Recovering; Vaccination Status: Unvaccinated;

Comments: Quarantine released April 17, 2026; 
Previous Alerts: 4895

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 26; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 17; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Warmblood (WB); Onset of Clinical Signs: 4/1/2026; Horse Status: Affected And Alive; 

Comments: The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has quarantined a property in Burlington County after one horse developed the highly infectious equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The horse, a 17-year-old warmblood gelding, developed acute clinical signs on April 01, 2026, and is currently undergoing hospitalization for care. The twenty-six (26) remaining horses on the premises are under quarantine and being monitored for sickness. No recent horse movement has occurred by this herd, making the risk of disease spread from this case very low. There are no known connections between this EHM case and the first Burlington County case in January 2026.;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 3; 
Facility Type: Boarding Facility; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 14; Gender: Mare; Breed: Thoroughbred (TB); Onset of Clinical Signs: 3/31/2026; Clinical Signs: This mare was found down in the field on Mar 31. She was assisted into the barn and then into isolation where she became recumbent with urinary incontinence. Her condition worsened and she was euthanized April 1. Blood and nasal swab samples were positive for EHV-1 by PCR.; Horse Status: Euthanized; 

Comments: The facility owner, working with their veterinarian, has instituted voluntary animal movement restrictions and biosecurity protocols. To see past and present EHV-1 neurologic (EHM) cases in Ontario go to: https://www.oahn.ca/resources/ontario-equine-disease-alerts/ and enter the disease surveillance portal;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: 1; 
Number Exposed: 40; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Facility Type: Boarding Facility; 
Comments: A veterinarian contacted my office to report a geriatric horse with neurological signs at a 40+ horse boarding facility. There are multiple owners and multiple veterinarians have patients there. This horse was euthanized and sent for cremation so no testing was conducted. She then reported a second horse with milder signs. No other horses at the farm are clinically affected. Both affected horses shared the same paddock but there are multiple paddocks. Horses otherwise of sharing a paddock have limited access to each other. The second horse was tested for EHV-1 by PCR and was confirmed to be positive. The farm owner is not aware of any horses recently leaving or coming to the farm, but by her admission, she may not have known if there was any movement of horses. She said most of the horses there have been there for years and don't leave the premises. Upon receiving lab confirmation a state quarantine was issued. The horse that was tested had mild neurological signs and those signs resolved with supportive treatment.;

Number Confirmed: 10; 
Number Exposed: 25; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Facility Type: Private Facility; 
Comments: Quarantine was released on March 21.; 
Previous Alerts: 4905, 4904

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 3; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Comments: No additional case were confirmed during the quarantine monitoring period. The quarantine period has been fully completed and is officially released.; 
Previous Alerts: 4898

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: 1; 
Number Exposed: 29; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Facility Type: Boarding Facility; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 19; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Thoroughbred (TB); Usage: Pleasure Riding; Onset of Clinical Signs: 3/7/2026; Confirmation Date: 3/9/2026; Horse Status: Quarantined; Vaccination Status: Unvaccinated;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: 3; 
Number Exposed: 38; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Comments: Quarantine released, no further neurologic cases detected after index case.;

Previous Alert: 4852