It has been announced that provisions on entries have been put in place in Ohio in light of the EHV-1 situation which has unfolded at the Meadows in Pennsylvania.

The Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association has announced that, in light of the unfortunate recent EHV-1 positives at the Meadows, Miami Valley Raceway will not be accepting entries on any horse that has raced or stabled at the western Pennsylvania track since January 10, until further notice.

Additionally, any horse that raced at the Meadows between January 1 and January 9, plus any horse stabled in the state of Pennsylvania (farms or fair tracks) since January 1, will be required to submit a health certificate dated within 48 hours of the horse’s first start at Miami Valley, in addition to a negative laboratory result from a nasal swab test.

As a result of the situation, live racing at the Meadows has been cancelled until at least Tuesday, February 6.

EHV-1 is a highly contagious virus that commonly circulates in horse populations. Depending on the specific strain of the virus, the equine herpes virus can cause a variety of clinical signs in infected horses, including respiratory disease or abortion in pregnant mares. The EHM form of the disease can cause horses to suffer varying degrees of paralysis and ataxia; in severe cases, the infected horse may be euthanized. While EHV-1 can cause illness in horses, other equine animals and camelids (llamas and alpacas), it does not pose a health threat to people or other animals.

Unless a new case is detected, all horses can be cleared after 28 days without symptoms, or after 21 days with confirmation of negative test results for both blood samples and nasal swab tests.

Experts note that many horses carry a latent form of the herpes virus, and symptoms may not appear unless the animal is stressed. Although horses are vaccinated for other strains of the equine herpes virus, there is no existing vaccine for the EHV-1 strain of the virus.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has advises that Ontario horsepeople need to be vigilant to prevent infectious disease.

The racing industry is very mobile and participants need to use caution and take appropriate biosecurity measures, such as not sharing equipment between horses and being alert for signs of neurological symptoms and fevers.

Monitoring rectal temperatures twice daily is recommended. If suspicions arise, they should immediately call their veterinarian.

(With files from the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)