LEXINGTON, Va. (WRIC) — One horse has been euthanized and around 80 others are now under quarantine after two positives cases of a virus were found at the Shenandoah Classic Horse Show in Lexington, Virginia.
On Thursday, June 22, two horses from the same barn at the Virginia Horse Center — the site of the Shenandoah Classic Horse Show — tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), according to the State Veterinarian`s Office of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).
EHV-1 is the virus that causes Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy, a neurological condition that impacts a horse’s brain and spinal cord. Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy is relatively rare, as a large percent of horses across the world carry EHV-1 with no serious side effects.
One of the infected horses at the Virginia Horse Center was euthanized. The other horse is stable and receiving medical care.
Around 80 horses in the same barn are now under quarantine and are being monitored for fever and other EHV-1 symptoms.
The Shenandoah Classic will continue as planned through Saturday, June 24, and the Virginia Horse Center is still open for business.
Horse owners can call the VDACS Office of Veterinary Services at 804-786-2483 or visit the VDACS EHV-1 website for information on disease prevention in horses.
