Horse Herpes Are On the Rise: West Texas Ranchers Beware

I wish this was a joke, but unfortunately, horse herpes is indeed a real and very dangerous virus affecting horse owners across Texas.

Horse Herpes in Texas

The technical term for this virus is the Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) and the recent outbreak was first reported around November 5 during the World Championship Barrel Racing Finals in Waco, Texas, according to a release from the Texas Department of Agriculture.

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To limit the spread of this harmful virus, Ag Commissioner Sid Miller is warning all horse owners and ranchers to practice caution and get their horses tested.

"This virus can spread fast, it can be deadly, and the earliest signs are often so subtle they're easy to miss," Commissioner Miller added.

Symptoms of Equine Herpesvirus 1

If you are concerned about your horse or you know that you have interacted in any way with the Waco event, you should look out for these common symptoms in your horses:

• Discharge from the nose, coughing, or other breathing difficulties
• Fever
• Depression or lethargy
• Unexpected complications during births
• Problems with the brain like stumbling, loss of tail tone, weakness in the limbs, or head tilts

How Does EHV-1 Spread?

The virus can spread as easily as nose-to-nose contact among infected horses, and virus particles can be transmitted in the air during coughing or sneezing.

Indirect transmission can also occur, such as sharing the same grooming tools, water or feed buckets, thermometers, and more. Human handlers can also spread the disease without knowing it through touch or clothing.

You can learn more about how to protect your horses from EHV-1 by checking out the alert from Commissioner Sid Miller.

It's free and could save your horse's life, so why not take the precautions and keep your stable safe?