05-18-2011, 03:12 PM
BAKERSFIELD. Calif. — Horses at a weekend event in Bakersfield were potentially exposed to a serious illness. Two cases of equine herpes have been confirmed, and experts urge precautions.
About 200 horses were set to participate in the event at the Sundance Feed Yard on Bear Mountain Boulevard on Friday, but several horses were almost immediately found to be sick.
Veterinarian Dr. Arlena Pipkin was called out, and checked the sickest horse.
"One horse had to be put down on the spot," Pipkin told Eyewitness News. She said a second animal was very sick, but it was sent to experts in Davis.
The vet suspected equine herpes, and that was confirmed by state officials, she said. Pipkin said the second horse was last reported in "stable" condition as of Monday night.
On Tuesday afternoon, the California Department of Food and Agriculture released a statement saying ten horses in the state have been confirmed with EHV-1.
Spokesman Steve Lyle told Eyewitness News two of the confirmed cases were from Kern County, one of those is the horse that had to be euthanized.
"I saw one case maybe 20 years ago," Dr. John Tolley told Eyewitness News. He's a vet at Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital. Tolley said their phones have been ringing off the hook with questions since the weekend.
Tolley said the first symptoms of this virus can be a fever, but it's not very obvious, and the horse may seem to get better.
The next phase of EHV-1 is worse.
"Probably the first thing you're going to see in a neurological horse is lack of coordination in their hind end," Tolley explained. "If you walk forward, they may drag their toes."
He said symptoms may not show up for five to ten days.
The current cases of EHV-1 are being traced back to the National Cutting Horse Association Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah that took place from April 30 to May 8, according to the statement from state officials.
Sundance manager Robert Bias told Eyewitness News it's his understanding that the affected horses at the weekend event had been in Ogden. Bias said the horses are from Arizona.
Bias estimated about "200 head" of horses were at the event at Sundance. Vets familiar with the situation said the event was canceled on Friday, and the rest of the horses went home.
"I think, maybe it would have been better on a population and health basis to have them stay here," Tolley commented. He said the priority now is to prevent more spread of EHV-1.
The vet said the virus can spread from horse-to-horse by close contact. He said it can not spread to people.
"This is not a disease that affects people," Tolley said. "No."
But, experts are worried about the spread of the virus among horses, starting with the situation in Utah.
"We have a local trainer who had horses in Ogden," Tolley said. "He is 'temping' every horse on his place twice a day."
That's the strategy of taking the horses' temperatures daily to check for the earliest signs of EHV-1.
The statement from state now calls for a quarantine of affected animals.
"All California horses that have been in contact with an infected horse and show signs of disease or test positive for EHM will be placed under a CDFA quarantine in order to limit spread," reads the release dated May 17.
Tolley said it's important for all horse owners to be aware the very-contagious disease is showing up, and it's important to take precautions.
"If your horses are home and no other horses have come in, then you're at no particular risk," Tolley said. "I think we should probably need to limit our horse transport and horse exposure right now."