A West Bend stable is under quarantine after a horse tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).
The virus is highly contagious, often causing respiratory disease and reproductive failure. State veterinarian Doctor Paul McGraw says the illness can also have a neurological effect on horses, sometimes causing them to wobble and even go down. He says it’s not that common, but “it is a devastating disease when it happens.”
The infected horse was euthanized, while three other horses at the stable with fevers have been isolated from other animals. The stable houses about 50 horses.
The virus cannot be transmitted to humans. There is no vaccine specific to help protect animals from its spread.
WBKV