Practicing Good Protocol For Patient Zero. Now more than ever veterinarians are urging horsemen and competition organizers to prioritize biosecurity.

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HORSE CARE ISSUE Practicing Good Protocol For Patient Zero Now more than ever veterinarians are urging horsemen and competition organizers to prioritize biosecurity.

1 HORSE CARE ISSUE Practicing Good Protocol For Patient Zero Now more than ever veterinarians are urging horsemen and competition organizers to prioritize biosecurity. BY MOLLIE BAILEY 28 The Chronicle of the Horse There has been an increase of infectious disease outbreaks throughout the equine world in the last 15 years. MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO I magine there s a national championship that draws the best horses from across the western half of the country to compete for a week and that one of those horses gets sick. Now imagine that one sick horse starts an epidemic that infects dozens of horses, spreading to 20 states and Canada, leaving more than a dozen dead by the time the dust settles. What sounds like a biosecurity training exercise actually happened. And to hear top veterinarians tell it, it s only a matter of time before it happens again.

This is going to happen to us; it s just a matter of when and what horse show. DR. A. KENT ALLEN, DVM The Outbreak In Ogden It all started in Utah Ogden, Utah, to be precise.

2 This is going to happen to us; it s just a matter of when and what horse show. DR. A. KENT ALLEN, DVM The Outbreak In Ogden It all started in Utah Ogden, Utah, to be precise. That s where 708 of the country s best cutting horses gathered for the 2011 National Cutting Horse Association Western National Championship, April 29-May 8. Toward the end of the competition, one horse fell ill, started showing neurological signs and was euthanized. He didn t spike a fever, and at the time he was never diagnosed with equine herpesvirus, EHV-1, or the neurological form of the disease, equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, EHM. At the time none of the competitors worried that their horse could have been infected. But after the show ended and competitors scattered to 21 states and provinces, reports of EHV-1 and EHM cases started rolling in to state agencies. First a horse in Colorado displayed significant signs of EHM shortly after he returned home. That horse was euthanized on May 11. Two days later, at a cutting event in central California, a horse that had been in Ogden was euthanized after showing neurological signs. During the process of that California show being cancelled, many horses left the competition, scattering potentially exposed or infected horses across the state. We knew we had a case in Colorado, and we knew that horse had just gotten home from Ogden, said Dr. Jerry Black, DVM, who serves as the Wagonhound Land and Livestock Chair of equine sciences at Colorado State University and helped manage the crisis. Sometime during that weekend I became aware of the second case in California, who we knew was also at Ogden. By then we knew we had a problem. Black had done a workshop the year before focusing on a hypothetical EHM outbreak, but this wasn t a drill, and there were potentially exposed horses in 21 states. He and a team of veterinarians, which included EHM researchers, approached the U.S. Department of Agriculture and asked for help documenting and tracing the cases as they developed. More and more reports started popping up of horses suffering from EHV-1 and EMH. The majority of the neurological disease cases were associated with the primary exposure at Ogden, but there were also secondary and tertiary cases reported. By the time the dust settled a total of 242 premises were exposed, 62 of which had cases. Fifty-seven horses were confirmed EHV-1 cases and 33 EHM confirmed cases, with 13 horses dead or euthanized. The Ogden outbreak was a huge wake-up call, said the co-chair of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Veterinary Committee, Dr. A. Kent Allen, DVM. Unfortunately that wake-up call stayed within the veterinary committee needs to be our year to get it translated to show managers, and we need to get serious about this. This is going to happen to us; it s just a matter of when and what horse show. Keeping Communications Open The phrase what happened in Ogden has become a rallying cry for veterinarians across the country looking to improve biosecurity at equine competitions. Because show horses travel frequently and are regularly in close contact with other horses from other areas of the country, ample opportunities exist for contagions to spread. While strangles and influenza are also relatively common and contagious, EHM has garnered the most attention because of the nature of the disease. The analogy I use to help people understand neurological herpes is Ebola in humans, said Allen. It s so scary because a lot of horses die. They can be not very sick and yet be incubating the disease. One of the major challenges that compounded the Ogden epidemic was the inability to quickly share accurate information about the outbreak. Rumors provoked panic across the equestrian world, shutting down horse movement and competitions in areas that weren t threatened by the disease. That s where Dr. Nat White II, DVM, MS, DACUS ACVS, stepped in. White chaired an American Association of Equine Practitioners task force to work on the communication and biosecurity aspects of a February 22 & 29, 2016 chronofhorse.com 29

3 HORSE CARE it, even if a state veterinarian isn t involved, he said. We ll add things like pigeon fever, he continued. Even though it s not necessarily an emergency, it s good to know if it s diagnosed or shows up in a new location. We want to make this the go-to resource. The USEF has taken an active role in the EDCC by hosting the website and the call center. A Good Place To Start Communal water troughs are an easy way for disease to spread at horse shows. MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO National Equine Health Plan, which had been drafted in 2010 by the USDA and the American Horse Council. One of the main tenets of his task force was to establish an Equine Disease Communication Center that would enable horsemen across the country to share information. Stakeholders and individuals throughout the horse industry have been funding the effort, and the USDA gave the EDCC a onetime allotment to get the project off the ground. The EDCC website, which went live at the start of this year, serves as a clearinghouse for information about 30 The Chronicle of the Horse outbreaks of contagious diseases like EHV-1, strangles, vesicular stomatitis and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. States have different reporting requirements for each disease, so White has had his work cut out for him compiling information. But the effort has been well received, and many have been willing to help. For example, initially White reached out to state veterinarians for information about recent EHV-1 outbreaks at Sunland Park (N.M.) and Turf Paradise (Ariz.) racetracks, and after the initial conversation the veterinarians started calling him with daily updates he s been posting on the website. If it s not reportable in a state, we ll try to get the information and post With EHV-1 spreading to California, the California Equine Medication Monitoring Program Advisory Committee requested the California Department of Food and Agriculture develop a biosecurity toolkit for equine events, and that landmark document has been distributed to all 50 states and eight countries. Even the equine event organizers of the London Olympic Games used the document to minimize risk factors at the event. To develop the Biosecurity Toolkit For Equine Events, author Dr. Katie Flynn, BVMS, who serves as the equine staff veterinarian for the animal health branch of the CDFA, visited around 20 equine event grounds to observe biosecurity practices. Problematic practices include the sharing of equipment without cleaning or disinfecting the items, exercising or standing horses from various premises close together, leaving feed and hay supplies without protection (often stored near manure piles), and resting the hose in each different horse s water bucket when filling buckets with water, said Flynn. The use of a common rag to wipe the noses of horses standing outside the show ring is a great way to spread respiratory disease. We wouldn t share a tissue with another human being; why share a nose rag between horses? The Toolkit is an extensive but easyto-read document, and its guidelines may be modified depending on the venue and the risk factors. The document was originally distributed across California, and it s had measurable progress there. The removal of the communal water troughs, which previously were routinely used during equine events,

We wouldn t share a tissue with another human being; why share a nose rag between horses? DR. KATIE FLYNN, BVMS is a significant and notable change that is recommended in the Toolkit, said Flynn.

4 We wouldn t share a tissue with another human being; why share a nose rag between horses? DR. KATIE FLYNN, BVMS is a significant and notable change that is recommended in the Toolkit, said Flynn. Most importantly, there is ongoing discussion of the need for biosecurity at equine events. The key objective is for a complete biosecurity assessment to be performed at the event ground to identify the risk factors, she continued. Dependent on risk level, the event organizers may opt to implement some of the easier, basic biosecurity concepts. Other disease spread risk factors may only be addressed if there is an elevated risk, such as a disease outbreak, when additional measures must be taken to enhance disease control. Dr. Stephen Schumacher, DVM, echoed Flynn s sentiments. We propose that people start thinking about potential issues before they happen, said Schumacher, who serves as the chief administrator of the USEF Drugs and Medications Program. What we re looking for from managers is to start putting together a plan for the first 15 minutes [of an emergency]. If I have two febrile horses in a barn, and one s neurologic, I m going to call the state vet. But what do I do between that phone call and when the vet arrives to minimize the risk of that spreading to other horses? What actions can you take to limit additional horses Managers, grooms and trainers aren t the only ones who can help ensure horses stay safe. Jennifer Bexley serves as chair of the board of directors for the League of Agricultural and Equine Centers, an industry group that comprises directors of many major equine facilities, including the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, Great Southwest Equestrian Center (Texas), Texas Rose Horse Park, Kentucky Horse Park, Jim Brandon Equestrian Center (Fla.), Roberts Arena (Ohio), South Point Equestrian Events Center (Nev.) and the Washington State Horse Park. That group shares information about diverse topics like marketing, footing, emergency management and biosecurity with monthly conference calls and an annual meeting. Bexley also serves as the director of the Georgia International Horse Park, which regularly disinfects stalls at the facility with an environmentally-friendly, animal-friendly agricultural wash called Synbiont that kills many fungi, bacteria and viruses, including EHV-1. The horse Everyone Helps Reputable commercial shippers regularly disinfect their vans to cut down on the spread of disease. AMY K. DRAGOO PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO park does not have its own biosecurity protocols; that s up to individual horse show managers. We pay a lot of attention to the alerts we get through [the Equine Disease Communication Center], which all of our members get, said Bexley. That s been a great resource for us to have accurate information. Shippers can do their part to help keep horses safe too. Kurt Lang said that he and his fellow drivers at Brookledge Horse Transport completely muck out the trailer between runs and regularly disinfect rigs with bleach. For a commercial shipping company it s a pretty routine thing, said Lang. Any reputable shipping company will tell you the same thing. Our drivers take pride in their vehicles, and they all try to keep them in great condition. If we pick up a horse at quarantine under certain circumstances federal law mandates that they get into a sealed van no horses can get on or off, he continued. There will be a federal vet at the pick-up spot and at the destination to literally cut the tape that seals them in. They re trying to prevent the spread of disease, and the van has to be spotless and disinfected before those horses get on. They really give it the white glove treatment. Lang also stressed the importance of not putting sick or compromised horses on a trailer and checking that all the paperwork is properly filled out. If a horse s Coggins and health certificate have the horse s ID number transposed that will cause a hold-up at an agricultural checkpoint. He also suggested that horses ship long distances in box stalls when possible so they can get their heads down to clear their throats and noses to help stay healthy. February 22 & 29, 2016 chronofhorse.com 31

HORSE CARE Biosecurity Tips From USEF Biosecurity Measures For Horses At Home And At Competitions pamphlet A ll horses should be treated as individuals as much as possible.

5 HORSE CARE Biosecurity Tips From USEF Biosecurity Measures For Horses At Home And At Competitions pamphlet A ll horses should be treated as individuals as much as possible. Limit direct contact with other horses and people. Do not allow the horse to touch noses with other horses while in the warm-up or collecting rings. Do not allow visitors to touch your horse. Use specific buckets for one horse only for feed and water. Label the buckets with the horse s name so there is no cross contamination with other horses. Use a specific halter for each horse, clearly labeled. Do not share buckets, halters, lead shanks, bridles or tack between horses. If you must share, scrub and clean equipment with detergent and dry completely between shared use. When filling water buckets, do not dip the end of the hose in each bucket. Hold the hose above the water when filling. Do not allow horses to drink out of communal water tanks. Use different wheelbarrows for cleaning stalls and feeding horses. Ideally, use a separate turnout paddock for each horse. Do not mix horses between barns. Do not graze the horses in common areas. Take horses temperatures two times a day and record it on a chart. Rectal temperatures are taken with a thermometer. These can be bought at a local pharmacy. Watch for clinical signs: off feed, coughing, runny nose or eyes, quiet attitude, fever of 102 F or higher. Report to show veterinarian or show office if your horse is sick. Keep horse in its own stall and limit contact until an isolation plan is made. 32 The Chronicle of the Horse from getting sick if [the neurologic] horse is contagious? Bringing The Rules Up To Speed To combat the threat of an epidemic spreading throughout a horse show, the USEF Veterinary Committee proposed a change to GR1211.5, which mandates that shows have an isolation protocol in place in case of infectious disease. The concept behind the rule was well received, but disagreement over implementation meant the rule was tabled until the June meeting, when it s expected to move forward with a Dec. 1, 2016, start date. The rule originally called for an isolation stall, and some horse shows don t even have stalls, explained Bob Bell, head of the Competition Management Committee, who voted against the rule in its current form. He emphasized that managers he d spoken to were in favor of an isolation protocol; they just wanted to make sure the rule would work on all types of showgrounds. Allen pointed out that isolating a sick horse that potentially has a serious infectious disease may be inconvenient, but it s essential. The worst thing the vets can do is go see a horse with fever back in the barns, and then get in their truck and drive out the driveway, he said. No one knows it s sitting back there. If it s just a fever that goes away, that horse s neighbor is the only danger. If that s a neurological herpes, Armageddon just happened to that showground, and they just don t know it yet. You have to have trainers and vets not associated with the horse show thinking beyond their clients inconvenience, he continued. They need to be thinking, I know there s a plan in place [in case of an outbreak]; how about I go down to the show office and have a conversation. There s a safety factor here. Everyone wants things to be easier, but sometimes easier isn t better. The USEF recently updated its pamphlet Biosecurity Measures for Horses At Home And At Competitions, which advocates twice daily temperature monitoring, treating each horse as an individual with his own equipment, and smart planning on show managers part to minimize the risk of spreading disease (see sidebar). We re hoping the isolation protocol will work into a broader biosecurity plan, not because it s required by the USEF, but because it s the right thing to do to protect horses and also the organizer, said Schumacher. Many managers of major shows are Treating each horse as an individual with his own labeled buckets and equipment is one way to help curb the spread of disease. MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

already doing that. Tom Struzzieri s personal experience meant he made biosecurity a major priority. In 2013 his HITS Ocala (Fla.

The EHV-1 outbreak was complicated by a simultaneous bout of influenza, which has some similar symptoms to EHV-1. So HITS Ocala show veterinarian Dr.

We went ahead and set up a precedent and wrote our own protocol for how to deal with the issue, said Struzzieri, Saugerties, N.Y. We ve done it ever since.

We re destined to have it happen again, and we made mistakes, but we learned a lot. Schumacher said the USEF isn t done addressing biosecurity concerns.

We ve had an increase of these outbreaks and issues over the last 15 years, and there are smart people who have ideas as to why, said Schumacher.

6 already doing that. Tom Struzzieri s personal experience meant he made biosecurity a major priority. In 2013 his HITS Ocala (Fla.) showgrounds were the site of an EHV-1 outbreak, and the grounds were quarantined for several weeks. The EHV-1 outbreak was complicated by a simultaneous bout of influenza, which has some similar symptoms to EHV-1. So HITS Ocala show veterinarian Dr. Robert Barber, DVM, headed up six teams of veterinarians who vaccinated every horse on the showgrounds for influenza within one day, an effort funded by HITS. We went ahead and set up a precedent and wrote our own protocol for how to deal with the issue, said Struzzieri, Saugerties, N.Y. We ve done it ever since. It was the most difficult time I ever dealt with, he continued. I wouldn t want my peers or customers to ever be in that same situation. We re destined to have it happen again, and we made mistakes, but we learned a lot. Schumacher said the USEF isn t done addressing biosecurity concerns. A rule standardizing vaccine requirements for entry into competition grounds kicked in for the 2016 show season. We ve had an increase of these outbreaks and issues over the last 15 years, and there are smart people who have ideas as to why, said Schumacher. My opinion is regardless of why, we The Equine Disease Communications Center has updates on the latest outbreaks across the country. The American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation funds the EDCC. Useful Links need to be prepared. It s not a matter of if; it s a matter of when. The only way you can evaluate how successful we ve been is to look back 10 years from now, he continued. There s no immediate feeling of satisfaction; you don t know when you ve stopped an outbreak because you can t prove a negative. The California Department of Food and Agriculture produced a biosecurity toolkit for equine events. The USEF just updated their biosecurity pamphlet, Biosecurity Measures For Horses At Home And At Competitions. April 1-3, 2016 at The Meadow Event Park For horse owners, riders and enthusiasts. Shop for a wide variety of tack, boots, feed, barns, trailers, clothing and more. Enjoy the annual Secretariat Birthday Celebration. Watch and participate in clinics and seminars Caroline County, VA VirginiaHorseFestival.com Meet Groundshaker, descendant of Secretariat February 22 & 29, 2016 chronofhorse.com 33

BIOSECURITY MEASURES FOR CACHE COUNTY 4-H HORSE SHOWS/CAMPS

BIOSECURITY MEASURES FOR CACHE COUNTY 4-H HORSE SHOWS/CPS The biosecurity measures outlined below are reasonable practices to adopt and implement in an effort to minimize contagious diseases often spread