Category: State Agencies

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...

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/...

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories, located in Salisbury and Frederick, have become the first two animal health labs in the country to receive the updated International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025:201 standard, accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). The Salisbury lab, which focuses primarily on poultry diseases, was the first to receive the accreditation on July 13, while the Frederick lab, which focuses on horses and food-producing livestock, was the second to receive the accreditation on July 19. According to MDA, the ISO/IEC 17025-2017 standard serves as an international reference for laboratories carrying out calibration and testing activities around the world. Being in compliance with this standard assures that Maryland’s animal health laboratories are implementing a sound quality system, are technically competent and are able to produce valid and reliable results. Earning this accreditation also allows Maryland to be able to work with and share reporting with other countries. This sharing of data will allow for smoother international trade. “Every day the staff from the Salisbury and Frederick Animal Health Labs are providing timely and accurate diagnostic services for Maryland’s equine, livestock and poultry industries,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh. “Achieving accreditation for this high international standard was no small feat as it took an enormous amount of time and effort. I am very...

From the Maryland Department of Agriculture – The Maryland Department of Agriculture received confirmation of a case of Potomac Horse Fever in a pony stabled in Frederick County from the University of Kentucky’s Equine Diagnostic Laboratory on August 2. The pony fell ill on July 26 and did not respond to treatment. The gelding died on July 30. A necropsy of the pony was performed at the Frederick Animal Health Laboratory on July 31. The Maryland Department of Agriculture is urging horse owners — especially those with horses that graze near rivers, streams and creeks — to watch their horses closely for signs of this disease. Clinical signs include mild to severe fever, diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, laminitis and mild colic. Potomac Horse Fever is most commonly contracted by horses that ingest infected aquatic insects such as caddisflies, mayflies and dragonflies. “Potomac Horse Fever surfaces in Maryland every few years,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh. “With this summer’s heavy rains, pastures and meadows where equines graze are more likely to flood, increasing the chances that a horse could ingest these infected aquatic insects.” Equine owners are encouraged to keep horses off of flooded pastures, and to turn stable and barn lights off at night since the aquatic insects that carry this disease are attracted to bright light. Potomac Horse Fever has a mortality...

Just in from the Maryland Department of Agriculture: A horse stabled in Montgomery County has tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). The positive horse was discovered during a routine wellness examination by a private veterinarian and was confirmed positive July 9 by the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa. The infected horse will be euthanized. EIA is not known to effect human health. The State Veterinarian’s office has placed the farm under a 60-day investigational hold order. The department will do initial EIA tests on the remaining 42 equines on the farm. The animals will be tested again after 60 days, at which point the hold order will be released barring any positive test results. Equine Infectious Anemia is a blood borne virus typically transferred by biting flies or infected needles. The infected horse did not display any clinical symptoms, but was determined to be in the carrier stage of the disease. Confirmed cases of EIA typically result in euthanasia or lifetime isolation for the infected horse. The department’s Animal Health Program will continue to monitor the situation closely, and reminds all horse owners to remain vigilant in protecting the health of their animals—this includes routine disease testing. More information on EIA is available from USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection...