Latest News Archives - The Equiery

MDA’s Official Report on Montgomery County EHV1 Case

Posted by Editor | Sep 24, 2018 | Equine Health, Latest News, State Agencies | 0 |

From the Maryland Department of Agriculture ANNAPOLIS, MD (Sept. 24, 2018) – On September 21, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health program confirmed a positive test for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in a 12-year-old warmblood gelding stabled at a private farm in Montgomery County. The neurological horse was seen earlier that day at a private veterinary clinic in Loudoun County, Virginia, and was treated as an outpatient before returning home. The Montgomery County farm has been placed on an investigatory hold effective September 21. There are 18 horses on the farm in three barns. The positive gelding is isolated from all horses on the farm. The positive gelding was previously housed with four horses in one barn. The other two barns are more than 30 feet away from the exposed barn. Strict isolation and biosecurity protocols are in place at the exposed barn with body temperatures taken twice daily. There will be no movement on or off the farm. The attending veterinarians administered to this farm will be notified of the hold order and apprised of the procedures taken to control the spread of EHV-1/EHM. Possible links to the positive gelding are actively being investigated. Owners are cautioned to monitor horses at their premises carefully, and should contact their private veterinarians to arrange for Equine Herpesvirus testing if a horse exhibits significant temperature elevations or neurologic signs. Veterinarians are required...

EHV-1 Confirmed in Montgomery County

Posted by Editor | Sep 23, 2018 | Equine Health, Latest News, State Agencies | 0 |

The Maryland Department of Agriculture placed a hold order on private farm in Montgomery County where one horse tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) on Friday, September 21. The gelding was being treated as an outpatient at Spurlock Equine Associates in Virginia before returning to its Maryland home that day. The gelding has since been isolated from all horses on the farm and is undergoing treatment. Dr. Michael Radebaugh of MDA told The Equiery this morning that out of the 18 horses that are stabled at the Montgomery County farm, only the one horse has tested positive. There are three barns on the property and the other four horses that were exposed to the positive horse are quarantined in their own barn with temperatures being taken and logged with MDA twice a day. “The other horses on the property are in barns that are more than 30 feet away,” Dr. Radebaugh stated. “They too can not leave the property and no new horses can come onto the property either.” In accordance with EHV-1 protocols set at the national level, the hold order will last 21 days after the last horse has tested positive. Dr. Radebaugh and his team have already started notifying other barns where the positive horse had recently traveled. “He had been stabled at another farm in Virginia recently and that farm owner has placed her facility...

Pony Jocks Race for Trip to Abu Dhabi

Posted by Editor | Sep 20, 2018 | Latest News, Sports, Steeplechase | 0

One lucky pony jockey will get a chance this November to represent the U.S. at the 2018 International Ponies Cup held during the H.H. Sheikha Latifa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The festival is the world’s richest Arabian horse racing event featuring nearly $1.4 million in prize money. Pony jockeys, ages 10-14, from Spain, Sweden, France, Belgium, New Zealand, Italy, United Kingdom and the U.S. will race in the International Ponies Cup. The U.S. rider representative will be selected this weekend on September 23 at the High Hopes Steeplechase in...

Possible Tornado Touches Down at Fair Hill

Posted by Editor | Sep 17, 2018 | Latest News | 0 |

Tuesday (Sept. 18) Update! The Equiery spoke with FHNRMA superintendent Rachel Temby this morning and confirmed the following facts. Barn 3 of the “race barns” was the only structure on the property that was damaged by what is officially being called a “weather event.” The majority of the damage was to the south end of the barn affecting both sides of the barn. In addition to the roof and portions of the overhang being blown off, there is also electrical damage and some other pockets of damage to other areas of that same barn. The power to that barn...

EIA Quarantine Lifted

Posted by Editor | Sep 17, 2018 | Equine Health, Latest News, State Agencies | 0 |

According to Maryland State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh, the quarantine of the Montgomery County Farm due to a case of Equine Infectious Anemia has been lifted as of Friday, September 14. “No other horses on the property have tested positive for EIA since the 60-day hold order was first put in place, so it is now business as usual,” Dr. Radebaugh stated. He added that 271 horses have been tested in Maryland and Virginia during the investigation and no other horses have tested positive for EIA. “We still have some loose ends to tie up and a few more horses to test but everything is fine,” he said. One horse at the Montgomery County Farm tested positive for EIA on July 9, which was the start of the mandatory hold order. To read the full story of this case, click here: http://equiery.com/montgomery-co-horse-tests-positive-for-equine-infectious-anemia/...

Hurricane Season is Here!

Posted by Editor | Sep 11, 2018 | Latest News, State Agencies | 0 |

With hurricane Florence making her way up the East Coast, the Maryland Department of Agriculture has put out tips to pet and livestock owners on how best to prepare for hurricane season. To read the full MDA press release, click here: http://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2018/09/10/maryland-department-of-agriculture-urges-hurricane-preparedness-plans-to-include-pets-livestock/ Below are recommendations specific for farm owners to prepare for hurricanes or tornadoes that may impact our area: Move all poultry and livestock to high ground and shelter them in securely battened barns, houses, or tightly fenced areas. Cover and secure all water, food, and medical supplies for poultry and livestock. Pump and collect adequate supplies of...