Venturing Hills Equestrian Farm (VHF) in Luskville, QC, owned by the Becke family since 2007, is experiencing an outbreak of the neurological form of EHV-1 (equine herpesvirus) which has already resulted in the deaths of two horses and the infection of 18 others to date.
While a fundraising effort organized by Anne Marie Duarte has already surpassed the goal of $50,000, ongoing veterinary and biosecurity costs continue to rise as the farm struggles to keep the remaining 5 horses who have not yet contracted the virus to remain isolated and healthy.
It is believed that the highly-contagious virus may have been transferred to the farm in western Quebec via a recently-purchased horse that shipped in Jan. 15 from a Milton, ON, facility that later experienced an EHV-1 outbreak which took the lives of three horses.
The nightmare began on Feb. 3 when Eddie, a five-year old Quarter Horse, was observed stumbling. Within a few hours he had lost all neurological function and the difficult decision to euthanize him was made. A second horse, the 20-year-old mare Iris, died on Valentine’s Day.
Emotionally and physically draining around-the-clock procedures involve administering IV and IM medications, monitoring temps, sterilizing equipment and surfaces and administering over 1,000 antiviral pills a day. Vet bills continue to stack up and the farm has ordered Haygain units for disinfecting haynets and helping keep the horses hydrated and has also sent out a plea for Irish knit or wool coolers. Please contribute to the GoFundMe effort or contact the farm directly.
EHV-1 infection in horses can cause respiratory disease, abortion, neonatal foal death, and/or neurological disease. Some infected horses may show no clinical signs, but still shed the virus. Neurological signs may include loss or balance, hind-limb weakness, recumbency, difficulty urinating, decreased tail tone and depression. There is no vaccine and no cure; supportive care is administered including the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce fever, inflammation, and pain. The prognosis for horses that test positive for the neurological strain (EHV) is very poor, with the fatality rate as high as 30%.
For more information about EHV-1 , click here.
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