Health Update
Vancouver’s southland riding club, closed after strangles was detected in a rescue horse
CBC News British Columbia, March 16th, 2016.
A prestigious South Vancouver riding club is closing immediately after a newly arrived rescue horse tested positive for the highly contagious equine disease known as strangles. "During this time measures will be taken to decontaminate and sanitize the property," said spokesperson Bronwyn Wilkinson in an email. "The goal is to ensure the grounds are safe and ready to open as soon as possible. "The strangles bacteria — streptococcus equi — was recently detected in a nasal sample of a horse named Valentine who arrived at the club approximately two weeks ago after being rescued from an Alberta meat pen. "Valentine was vet checked in Alberta before coming to Southlands and showed no signs of strangles," Wilkinson said. The upper respiratory tract disease causes high fever and swelling around the jaw and neck which can restrict breathing. Strangles isn't transferable to humans, and isn't usually fatal, but it can make horses seriously ill.
Livestock Board quarantines facility following case of equine disease
Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) affects only horses; unrelated to recent EHV-1 outbreak
(SUNLAND PARK, N.M.)
A private racehorse training facility in southern New Mexico is under quarantine after a single horse there was confirmed to have a parasitic disease. The New Mexico Livestock Board imposed the quarantine --no horses in, no horses out -- at Jovi Training Stables late Friday after one horse there was confirmed to have EP. EP is a blood borne disease transmitted by ticks, or “mechanically via improperly sanitized syringes and the like”. Mild forms of EP can appear as weakness and lack of appetite. More severe signs include fever, anemia, weight loss, swelling of the limbs, and labored breathing. Death may occur in some cases. Humans cannot get EP. The disease is also unrelated to equine herpesvirus (EHV-1), which recently affected Jovi Training Facilities and other tracks and training facilities in the area.