Equine Disease Quarterly Newsletter

5

train Calvary Corps horses in crowd control techniques and in exchange the Corps shelters police
horses in an evacuation event such as Hurricane
Harvey.
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC)
is the primary coordinating agency for animal
response operations related to non-disease animalrelated incidents and the Emergency Support
Function (ESF)-11 animal-related actions. TAHC
coordinated the efforts of 36 different agencies andorganizations during Hurricane Harvey. More than
700 calls were received on the Harvey Hotline,
and staff worked tirelessly to match resources withneeds. Lists of pre-arranged livestock evacuation
facilities were provided to callers through information centers. With the governor’s approval, TAHC
waived requirements for a current negative EIA teston evacuated horses. National Veterinary Services
Laboratory quickly developed guidelines allowing approved EIA laboratories to conduct tests at
shelters to mitigate disease transmission risk.
The most common maladies encountered werelower extremity skin injuries due to horses standing in water for extended periods and colic most
likely due to changes in diet. The Texas A&M
Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) deployed infive locations to triage, treat, and send animals
to shelters or referral clinics still in operation.
To manage information and utilize services ofveterinarians and technicians volunteering from

Texas and across the United States, a database wascreated and shared with responding entities. The
Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners issued temporary licenses to veterinarians assistingfrom other states. Managing offers from volunteers
and donations were challenges in themselves.
As conditions allowed, Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension agents and other responders establishedthirteen livestock supply points in stricken areas,
distributing generously donated livestock feed andsupplies. USDA Wildlife Services aircraft pilots,
along with volunteers in airboats, gathered coordinates on marooned livestock. National Guard
helicopters, made available after human rescue
missions were completed, dropped a total of 117
tons of hay to stranded livestock. More hay wasdelivered by airboats and high profile vehicles.
The real story of Hurricane Harvey is how owners took responsibility for their own livestock and,
when conditions became extreme, how neighbors
and strangers alike pulled together to help anyone
in need. There were many, many more significant
response efforts than are mentioned here. TAHC
is honored to have been a part of this outstanding
combined effort in response to Hurricane Harvey.

Racehorse Breakdowns:
The Importance of Postmortem Examinations
often answer the question “Why would someone
want a postmortem exam on an animal?” As aveterinary pathologist involved in a necropsy program for racehorses that have experienced racetrack
injuries, I get much the same question from bothlay people and professionals in the horse industry.
People understand why a postmortem is warranted
in a case of sudden death, but understanding theneed for a necropsy on a horse that has sustained
a catastrophic musculoskeletal injury is less clear.
Like all athletes, Thoroughbred racehorses experience a consistent pattern of repetitive use wear
associated with their musculoskeletal systems. An
analogy familiar to most is the term “tennis elbow.”
For people with even a passing familiarity withsports, “Tommy John” surgery for baseball pitch-

Department of Veterinary Science
Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099
Address Service Requested

F U N D E D B Y U N D E R W R I T E R S AT L LOY D ' S , LO N D O N

APRIL 2018
Volume 27, Number 2

C O M M E N TA RY
IN THIS ISSUE
Commentary
International
Fourth Quarter2017  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2Cutaneous
Lymphangitis .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2Eye Neoplasia  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3

CONTACT:
Andy Schwartz, DVM
Andy.Schwartz@tahc.texas.gov(512) 719-0715
Texas Animal Health Commission
Austin, Texas

KENTUCKYI

Presorted Standard
US Postage Paid
Permit 51
Lexington KY

ers is a commonly recognized term, as rotator cuff
injuries also are a familiar malady in quarterbacks.
The association between pre-existing lesions
and catastrophic injuries has been documented formany years, beginning with the flagship postmortem program instituted in California. Greater than
80% of horses that suffer a fatal musculoskeletal
injury have pre-existing underlying pathology
related to the fracture, indicating that the final
catastrophic event is the culmination of repetitive wear and not an isolated incident caused bya “bad step” or a “hole in the track.” By careful
examination of the horse, the acute, catastrophic
injury can be documented as well as the underlying pathology. Additionally, non-musculoskeletal
health issues can be addressed.

National
Hurricane Harvey .  .  .  . 4

Mortality reviews are conducted with the trainers, the equine medical director, and the stewards
following catastrophic breakdowns. The goal ofthese reviews is not to place blame, but to educate
and implement strategies to prevent similar injuries
going forward. The overall health and conditionof the horse, its training and racing records, andthe outcome of the postmortem examination
are reviewed in the hope of identifying risk factors for that particular horse and opportunities
for future intervention. Additionally, it is hopedthat the trainer will disseminate the knowledge
gained by sharing their experience with others,
including those who work in their barn, friends,
and colleagues. Health issues that may not havebeen clinically apparent but are identified on
postmortem examination can be addressed, withinformative conversations regarding such things as
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH)
and gastric ulcers. In a very complicated set of cir-

cumstances, the postmortem examination brings
objectivity to these observations.
The ultimate goal of any postmortem programis to mitigate the risk of injury to the horse, andin turn, the exercise riders and jockeys that are
involved. Catastrophic breakdowns are the leading cause of serious injury to riders, and in sometragic cases, death. While postmortem examinations may be “too late” for the horse in question,
the value to the entire population of horses and tothe connections of a particular horse are invaluable. We owe it to the horses, riders, trainers, andthe racing community as a whole to address thisissue. Breakdowns are not inevitable events. We
can mitigate the risk of their occurrence in horses
through careful and determined study.
CONTACT:
Laura A. Kennedy DVM, DACVP
drlaurakennedy@uky.edu(859) 257-6393
University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Lexington, Kentucky

Kentucky
Racehorse
Breakdowns .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 5

College of Agriculture,
Food and Environment
Department of
Veterinary ScienceT

his is a clarion call for every equine owner,
manager, caretaker, veterinarian/scientist, orother equine stakeholder with the desire to maintain and improve the welfare of the horse and thequality of life of the equine industry stakeholders
before, during, and after disaster events. Water,
food, fuel, shelter, medical care—how will you
access these vital needs for survival for you, yourhorse(s), and other family/team members, pets,and livestock if faced with a disaster event likethose that affected millions last year along ourcoasts, in our heartland, and in cities, towns, andvillages all over the U.S. and in other countries?
What is your plan when water is rising or fire is
racing so fast around your farm or stable that you
cannot get your horses out? What is your plan if
you and your horses are involved in a vehicular
accident during transport or if you are required to“stop-movement” due to a disease outbreak? With
the multitude of maladies that can and will occur
to us and our animals in our lifetime, can you
answer “yes” to the question, “Have we done ‘due
diligence’ with developing a functional all-hazards
disaster plan to protect us and the animals thatmake up such a significant part of our lives?” Inan age of increasing exposure to extreme weather
events exacerbated by climate change along withhuman and animal population expansion, it is nota matter of if, but when will it happen to each andevery one of us in some capacity. It is time for us asequine stakeholders to wake up and heed the callover 13 years (or longer) in the making, to takeresponsibility for our own lives and the horses thatmean so much to us, our families, our economy,
our country, and our world.
Since 2005, post-hurricanes Katrina and Rita,
animal issues have become a real part of the discussion regarding emergency planning in communities, especially pet animals since saving animal lives

saves human lives. People are more apt to evacuate
out of harm’s way if there are provisions for the animals. Many areas of our country have made major
progress and have made it a priority and routine
to be proactive with planning in areas prone torepeated disasters (e.g. coastal Florida, parts ofLouisiana and Mississippi, Texas, California, andothers). However, it is clear that complacency andlack of situational awareness related to individual
risk still seems to be the norm at the local community level. Although there are numerous stories ofheroes, lives saved, positive outcomes in recent andpast disasters, the losses continue to mount. Manyof these losses are repeats of the same mistakes happening again and again. Will it really take a disastersuch as Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Maria, or major
wildfire for folks to realize that responsible horseowners must have a functional disaster plan? Let’stake 2017 as the real wake-up call and apply our
passion for these majestic animals to make 2018
and our future stronger, brighter, and better for thehorse and the people who share this common bond.
Let’s make coordinated, concerted efforts in ourown communities to strengthen our home, farm,
ranch, business, and community disaster plans.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with thenumerous resources that are available to assist withlocal community disaster planning. The AVMA,
AAEP, and State Ag Extension Services, and community response teams are good places to start.
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/disaster-planninghorse-farms
https://ebusiness.avma.org/
https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/
is10comp.pdf
Contact:
Rebecca McConnico, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVIM (LA)rmcconn@latech.edu(318) 257-2418
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana

The images in this issue are graphic.

2

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Fourth Quarter, 2017

T

Equine Disease Quarterly
Editors

Peter Timoney
Alan Loynachan
Cynthia Gaskill

Staff

Diane Furry
Tawana Brown
Dennis Duross

Correspondence should be
addressed to the editors,
Department of Veterinary
Science, Maxwell H. Gluck
Equine Research Center,
University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky USA,40546-0099
Telephone (859) 257-4757
Fax (859) 257-8542
Internet address:
http://gluck.ca.uky.edu/
equine-disease-quarterly
Material published in the
Quarterly is not subject tocopyright. Permission istherefore granted toreproduce articles, althoughacknowledgment of thesource and author is requested.
The University of Kentucky
is an Equal Opportunity
Organization.

Printed on recycled paper

he International Collating Centre, Newmarket, United Kingdom, and other sources
reported the following equine disease outbreaks.
Isolated cases of African horse sickness (AHS)
were recorded in South Africa. The disease wasconfirmed in the Eastern Cape, Free State andGauteng Provinces, all within the AHS infectedarea of the country. Turkey confirmed one case of
glanders during routine screening.
The USA reported nine outbreaks of equine influenza involving four states with multiple cases in
Texas. One outbreak was also confirmed in the UK.
France, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, theUK, and the USA recorded outbreaks of strangles.
The number of confirmed disease events ranged
from 11 in France, three in Germany, sporadic
occurrence in South Africa, three in Switzerland,
endemic in the UK, and the USA with outbreaks
reported in 12 states. Equine herpesvirus 1(EHV-1) related diseases were reported by France,
Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, and theUSA. EHV-1 respiratory disease was recorded in
Ireland (five cases), Japan (one outbreak), South
Africa (two cases), and the USA (widespread invarious states). Abortion was confirmed by France(two cases), Germany (two cases), Japan (single
cases on five premises), and the USA (two cases).
EHV-1 neurological disease was diagnosed in
France (three outbreaks, each involving a single
case of the disease), Germany (one case), and theUSA (single outbreaks in seven states; seven casesin one outbreak associated with a G2254 strainof the virus). France (18 outbreaks), Switzerland(one case), and the UK (three outbreaks) reported
respiratory illness associated with equine herpesvirus 4 infection. The USA diagnosed a single caseof abortion.
Equine herpesvirus 2 and/or 5 infection wasrecorded in several states in the USA, sometimes
associated with evidence of respiratory disease.

Canada (four cases in Alberta and one in Quebec),
France (single case), and the USA (one case in Tennessee, two in Kansas, and multiple cases in Montana), confirmed occurrences of equine infectious
anemia in the fourth quarter of 2017. Equine piroplasmosis was reported to be endemic in France
and in South Africa, with 27 cases diagnosed in sixof the nine provinces.France, Germany, and South
Korea recorded cases of contagious equine metritis.
A yearling filly without any breeding history was
found positive on a pre-export test in France. Twocases were diagnosed in Germany, and South Korea
detected 22 positives among 2,165 samples tested
without specifying in which quarter they wereidentified. Eight cases of leptospiral abortion werediagnosed in Kentucky, USA. The USA reported
10 cases of serogroup B Salmonellae in Kentucky.
One case of equine neorickettsiosis was recordedin Washington State, USA.
Rotaviral enteritis was confirmed in Argentina(two outbreaks in 2-month-old Thoroughbred foals
on separate premises) and France (a single case).
The USA reported cases of proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis in
Kentucky (10 cases) and Pennsylvania (one case).
Clostridial enteritis/enterocolitis due to Clostridium perfringens Type C toxin was linked to six
cases of disease in Kentucky. The USA confirmed
30 cases of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis in
the fourth quarter of 2017, 12 of which werediagnosed in Wisconsin.
103 cases of West Nile encephalitis were reported across numerous states in the USA, withNew York and Utah each responsible for 26
cases. Rhodococcal-related disease is endemic in
the USA, with eight cases confirmed during thereview period. Infection with Corynebacterium
pseudotuberculosis, the cause of Pigeon Fever isendemic in the USA; a single case was diagnosed
in Washington State.

Cutaneous LymphangitisT

he lymphatic system is an important component of the cardiovascular system and consistsof lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen,
and thymus. Lymph, which is a clear colorless
fluid, is formed from fluid loss that occurs during

normal nutrient exchange in capillary beds. Lymph
is transported by lymphatic vessels to regional
lymph nodes for filtration to aid in immunologic
detection of microorganisms, toxins, and foreignmaterial. Once filtered, the lymph is again trans-

ported by lymphatic vessels to large veins, which
ultimately return it back into the circulatory system to replenish the fluid lost from the capillaries.
Lymphatic disease can occur when lymph vessels
become inflamed, leaky, and/or blocked.
Cutaneous lymphangitis—inflammation oflymphatic vessels of the skin—is fairly uncommon in horses, does not exhibit age, sex, or
breed predilections, and can develop from both
infectious and non-infectious causes. Clinically,
cutaneous lymphangitis can manifest as a swollen
limb, skin abnormalities characterized as multiple
skin nodules that can abscess or develop draining
tracts, and/or lameness. Cutaneous lymphangitis
typically affects the distal portion of a single hind
limb, between the hock and hoof. Due to the characteristic appearance of affected limbs, the disease
is commonly referred to as “big leg” or “fat leg.”
Infectious cutaneous lymphangitis has traditionally been associated with poor hygiene
and insect transmission of microorganisms. It is
sporadically diagnosed in horses, but sometimes
occurs simultaneously in multiple horses on thesame farm. Infection of the lymphatic systemdevelops following contamination of skin wounds
by various bacteria, most commonly Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (the causative agent ofulcerative lymphangitis/pigeon fever). However,pure or mixed infections with other bacteria, suchas Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Trueperellapyogenes, Rhodococcus equi, Pasteurella haemolytica,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Actinobacillus equuli, and Burkholderia mallei(the cause of glanders) can also result in cutaneous lymphangitis. Additionally, pathogenic fungisuch as Sporothrix sp. (the cause of sporothricosis)
or Histoplasma farciminosum (the cause of epizo-

otic lymphangitis) also have been associated withlymphatic system infection. The USA is currently
free from glanders and epizootic lymphangitis.
Treatment of infectious cutaneous lymphangitis
includes appropriate antimicrobials, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, hydrotherapy, and surgical fluid drainage.
Cutaneous lymphangitis can become chronic ifleft untreated or if treatment is ineffective. Chronic
expansion of the subcutis by edematous fluiddue to faulty lymphatic vessels can result in thedeposition of fibrous tissue and permanent limb
disfigurement. This emphasizes the importanceof rapid diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous
lymphangitis.
Sporadic lymphangitis, also known as “Monday morning leg,” can also result in swollen distal
hindlimbs. This condition can develop in horsesthat are stabled or immobile for extended lengthsof time, typically days or more. The cause ofsporadic lymphangitis is not well understood,
but luckily the condition typically resolves after
exercise.
Cutaneous lymphangitis is occasionally diagnosed at the University of Kentucky Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratory. However, the exact frequency of the condition cannot be easily estimatedthrough typical diagnostic submissions, because
diagnoses are frequently made by veterinariansin the field and don’t require extensive diagnostic
evaluations.

3N

horses with no pigmentation will always be at riskof developing further lesions. Radiation treatment
and topical or intralesional chemotherapy can also
be useful in selected cases.
Lymphoma may occur as a mass in, on, or
around the eye, and the clinical signs associatedwith its development will depend on its location.
Although occasionally this may be a solitary mass,
lymphoma has a high likelihood of involving distant structures, and without very early recognition
and treatment is often fatal. Complete surgicalremoval of the eye and surrounding structures may
be curative in some cases.
Mast cell tumors are occasionally seen affecting
the structures around the eye, and can usually be
successfully surgically removed. In horses (unlike
in dogs) they are rarely a malignant lesion.
Other tumor types are very rare, but may present in a variety of forms. It is always prudent toseek early veterinary intervention when masses
arise to maximize the chance of a good result.
CONTACT:
Anna Hollis, BVetMed, DACVIM, DipECEIM, MRCVS
anna.hollis@aht.org.uk
Animal Health Trust
Newmarket, United Kingdom

Hurricane Harvey:
Impact and Response Related to Texas Equids

CONTACT:
Dr. Alan Loynachanalan.loynachan@uky.edu(859) 257-8283
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentuckyof the horse. Early treatment of eye neoplasia istherefore strongly recommended.
Sarcoids are believed to be the most common
skin tumor of the horse and can be seen in various forms. Sarcoids that occur around the eye are
frequently more aggressive in nature, invading
into the eyelid musculature, especially thoselocated on the upper eyelid. Horses will usually
have additional sarcoids in other locations, so
a thorough examination of the horse is recommended to identify any other lesions that need to
be treated. Traditionally, sarcoids were often left
without treatment, but as they almost invariably
become larger and more difficult to treat, earlyintervention is strongly recommended to avoid

long-term sequelae. Treatment may involve topicalor intralesional chemotherapy, surgical procedures(most successfully by laser surgical removal), or radiotherapy. No single treatment is 100% successful
for these difficult lesions. Radiation has the highest
reported chance of success, but is only available ina small number of specialty centers.
Melanomas are most commonly found in grey
horses and may be within the skin or affecting thestructures of the eye itself. Although a majority
are considered benign tumors, in horses that are
not grey melanomas are likely to be malignant,and even in grey horses they often metastasize.
Skin melanomas are usually successfully treated
via surgical excision, but melanomas within theeye itself often require enucleation (removal of theeye). Occasionally, surgical removal of an intraocular melanoma may be successfully attempted,
but this is a highly specialized surgery and is rarelya suitable option.
Squamous cell carcinomas commonly are diagnosed in the structures around the eye, and areespecially likely to occur in horses with limited pigmentation of these structures. They will eventuallymetastasize, and early complete surgical removal isrecommended as it is frequently curative, although

N AT I O N A L

H

Eye Neoplasia
eoplasia is the abnormal growth of tissue
which, if it forms a mass, is commonly
known as a tumor. Neoplasia may be benign (tends
to be less destructive) or malignant (tends to beinvasive and may spread to other tissues). The
spread of a tumor is known as metastasis. Tumorsof the eye itself are very rare in horses, but tumorsof the structures around the eye are surprisingly
common. The most commonly diagnosed typesof neoplasia in this area are sarcoids, melanomas,
and squamous cell carcinomas. Other tumors suchas lymphoma and mast cell tumors may also befound. Most tumors around the eye of the horse
do not metastasize, but they can be locally aggressive and have serious effects on the welfare and use

4

Eye neoplasia.

urricane Harvey was a storm for the record
books, striking the Texas coast in late August 2017. The storm battered communities with
Category 4 winds and lingered for four days, andcausing rain bands stretching 100 miles inland and
300 miles up the coast. Heavy rainfall saturated
the Houston metropolitan area, with one particularlocation receiving in excess of 60 inches and setting a new record for rainfall totals in a single U.S.
storm. While the wind did its share of damage, it
was the massive amount of rain and subsequent
flooding over the following two weeks that had
the most devastating impact on people, animals,
property, and crops.
Floodwaters reached hundreds of thousands ofhomes, displacing 30,000 people and prompting
more than 17,000 rescues. Early state and federal
disaster declarations in the anticipated impact
zone were a godsend, making resources available
for evacuation and response activities even as thestorm approached. Ultimately, 41 counties were
included in disaster declarations due to storm
damage.
These 41 counties are home to 1.6 million
cattle and 88,000 horses, donkeys, and mules.
While there have been major floods in portionsof this area in recent years, nothing could prepare
livestock owners and emergency responders for a
1,000-year event such as this. Livestock owners
moved their animals to what should have beensafe havens, only to have them threatened again
as floodwaters continued to rise over the following
days.
Emergency situations forced some livestock
owners to make difficult choices, but there is atleast one shining example of how pre-planning
paid dividends. Parson’s Mounted Calvary Corpsof Cadets at Texas A&M University and the Houston Police Department Mounted Unit exercised astanding arrangement where the Houston Police

2

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Fourth Quarter, 2017

T

Equine Disease Quarterly
Editors

Peter Timoney
Alan Loynachan
Cynthia Gaskill

Staff

Diane Furry
Tawana Brown
Dennis Duross

Correspondence should be
addressed to the editors,
Department of Veterinary
Science, Maxwell H. Gluck
Equine Research Center,
University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky USA,40546-0099
Telephone (859) 257-4757
Fax (859) 257-8542
Internet address:
http://gluck.ca.uky.edu/
equine-disease-quarterly
Material published in the
Quarterly is not subject tocopyright. Permission istherefore granted toreproduce articles, althoughacknowledgment of thesource and author is requested.
The University of Kentucky
is an Equal Opportunity
Organization.

Printed on recycled paper

he International Collating Centre, Newmarket, United Kingdom, and other sources
reported the following equine disease outbreaks.
Isolated cases of African horse sickness (AHS)
were recorded in South Africa. The disease wasconfirmed in the Eastern Cape, Free State andGauteng Provinces, all within the AHS infectedarea of the country. Turkey confirmed one case of
glanders during routine screening.
The USA reported nine outbreaks of equine influenza involving four states with multiple cases in
Texas. One outbreak was also confirmed in the UK.
France, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, theUK, and the USA recorded outbreaks of strangles.
The number of confirmed disease events ranged
from 11 in France, three in Germany, sporadic
occurrence in South Africa, three in Switzerland,
endemic in the UK, and the USA with outbreaks
reported in 12 states. Equine herpesvirus 1(EHV-1) related diseases were reported by France,
Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, and theUSA. EHV-1 respiratory disease was recorded in
Ireland (five cases), Japan (one outbreak), South
Africa (two cases), and the USA (widespread invarious states). Abortion was confirmed by France(two cases), Germany (two cases), Japan (single
cases on five premises), and the USA (two cases).
EHV-1 neurological disease was diagnosed in
France (three outbreaks, each involving a single
case of the disease), Germany (one case), and theUSA (single outbreaks in seven states; seven casesin one outbreak associated with a G2254 strainof the virus). France (18 outbreaks), Switzerland(one case), and the UK (three outbreaks) reported
respiratory illness associated with equine herpesvirus 4 infection. The USA diagnosed a single caseof abortion.
Equine herpesvirus 2 and/or 5 infection wasrecorded in several states in the USA, sometimes
associated with evidence of respiratory disease.

Canada (four cases in Alberta and one in Quebec),
France (single case), and the USA (one case in Tennessee, two in Kansas, and multiple cases in Montana), confirmed occurrences of equine infectious
anemia in the fourth quarter of 2017. Equine piroplasmosis was reported to be endemic in France
and in South Africa, with 27 cases diagnosed in sixof the nine provinces.France, Germany, and South
Korea recorded cases of contagious equine metritis.
A yearling filly without any breeding history was
found positive on a pre-export test in France. Twocases were diagnosed in Germany, and South Korea
detected 22 positives among 2,165 samples tested
without specifying in which quarter they wereidentified. Eight cases of leptospiral abortion werediagnosed in Kentucky, USA. The USA reported
10 cases of serogroup B Salmonellae in Kentucky.
One case of equine neorickettsiosis was recordedin Washington State, USA.
Rotaviral enteritis was confirmed in Argentina(two outbreaks in 2-month-old Thoroughbred foals
on separate premises) and France (a single case).
The USA reported cases of proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis in
Kentucky (10 cases) and Pennsylvania (one case).
Clostridial enteritis/enterocolitis due to Clostridium perfringens Type C toxin was linked to six
cases of disease in Kentucky. The USA confirmed
30 cases of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis in
the fourth quarter of 2017, 12 of which werediagnosed in Wisconsin.
103 cases of West Nile encephalitis were reported across numerous states in the USA, withNew York and Utah each responsible for 26
cases. Rhodococcal-related disease is endemic in
the USA, with eight cases confirmed during thereview period. Infection with Corynebacterium
pseudotuberculosis, the cause of Pigeon Fever isendemic in the USA; a single case was diagnosed
in Washington State.

Cutaneous LymphangitisT

he lymphatic system is an important component of the cardiovascular system and consistsof lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen,
and thymus. Lymph, which is a clear colorless
fluid, is formed from fluid loss that occurs during

normal nutrient exchange in capillary beds. Lymph
is transported by lymphatic vessels to regional
lymph nodes for filtration to aid in immunologic
detection of microorganisms, toxins, and foreignmaterial. Once filtered, the lymph is again trans-

ported by lymphatic vessels to large veins, which
ultimately return it back into the circulatory system to replenish the fluid lost from the capillaries.
Lymphatic disease can occur when lymph vessels
become inflamed, leaky, and/or blocked.
Cutaneous lymphangitis—inflammation oflymphatic vessels of the skin—is fairly uncommon in horses, does not exhibit age, sex, or
breed predilections, and can develop from both
infectious and non-infectious causes. Clinically,
cutaneous lymphangitis can manifest as a swollen
limb, skin abnormalities characterized as multiple
skin nodules that can abscess or develop draining
tracts, and/or lameness. Cutaneous lymphangitis
typically affects the distal portion of a single hind
limb, between the hock and hoof. Due to the characteristic appearance of affected limbs, the disease
is commonly referred to as “big leg” or “fat leg.”
Infectious cutaneous lymphangitis has traditionally been associated with poor hygiene
and insect transmission of microorganisms. It is
sporadically diagnosed in horses, but sometimes
occurs simultaneously in multiple horses on thesame farm. Infection of the lymphatic systemdevelops following contamination of skin wounds
by various bacteria, most commonly Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (the causative agent ofulcerative lymphangitis/pigeon fever). However,pure or mixed infections with other bacteria, suchas Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Trueperellapyogenes, Rhodococcus equi, Pasteurella haemolytica,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Actinobacillus equuli, and Burkholderia mallei(the cause of glanders) can also result in cutaneous lymphangitis. Additionally, pathogenic fungisuch as Sporothrix sp. (the cause of sporothricosis)
or Histoplasma farciminosum (the cause of epizo-

otic lymphangitis) also have been associated withlymphatic system infection. The USA is currently
free from glanders and epizootic lymphangitis.
Treatment of infectious cutaneous lymphangitis
includes appropriate antimicrobials, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, hydrotherapy, and surgical fluid drainage.
Cutaneous lymphangitis can become chronic ifleft untreated or if treatment is ineffective. Chronic
expansion of the subcutis by edematous fluiddue to faulty lymphatic vessels can result in thedeposition of fibrous tissue and permanent limb
disfigurement. This emphasizes the importanceof rapid diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous
lymphangitis.
Sporadic lymphangitis, also known as “Monday morning leg,” can also result in swollen distal
hindlimbs. This condition can develop in horsesthat are stabled or immobile for extended lengthsof time, typically days or more. The cause ofsporadic lymphangitis is not well understood,
but luckily the condition typically resolves after
exercise.
Cutaneous lymphangitis is occasionally diagnosed at the University of Kentucky Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratory. However, the exact frequency of the condition cannot be easily estimatedthrough typical diagnostic submissions, because
diagnoses are frequently made by veterinariansin the field and don’t require extensive diagnostic
evaluations.

3N

horses with no pigmentation will always be at riskof developing further lesions. Radiation treatment
and topical or intralesional chemotherapy can also
be useful in selected cases.
Lymphoma may occur as a mass in, on, or
around the eye, and the clinical signs associatedwith its development will depend on its location.
Although occasionally this may be a solitary mass,
lymphoma has a high likelihood of involving distant structures, and without very early recognition
and treatment is often fatal. Complete surgicalremoval of the eye and surrounding structures may
be curative in some cases.
Mast cell tumors are occasionally seen affecting
the structures around the eye, and can usually be
successfully surgically removed. In horses (unlike
in dogs) they are rarely a malignant lesion.
Other tumor types are very rare, but may present in a variety of forms. It is always prudent toseek early veterinary intervention when masses
arise to maximize the chance of a good result.
CONTACT:
Anna Hollis, BVetMed, DACVIM, DipECEIM, MRCVS
anna.hollis@aht.org.uk
Animal Health Trust
Newmarket, United Kingdom

Hurricane Harvey:
Impact and Response Related to Texas Equids

CONTACT:
Dr. Alan Loynachanalan.loynachan@uky.edu(859) 257-8283
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentuckyof the horse. Early treatment of eye neoplasia istherefore strongly recommended.
Sarcoids are believed to be the most common
skin tumor of the horse and can be seen in various forms. Sarcoids that occur around the eye are
frequently more aggressive in nature, invading
into the eyelid musculature, especially thoselocated on the upper eyelid. Horses will usually
have additional sarcoids in other locations, so
a thorough examination of the horse is recommended to identify any other lesions that need to
be treated. Traditionally, sarcoids were often left
without treatment, but as they almost invariably
become larger and more difficult to treat, earlyintervention is strongly recommended to avoid

long-term sequelae. Treatment may involve topicalor intralesional chemotherapy, surgical procedures(most successfully by laser surgical removal), or radiotherapy. No single treatment is 100% successful
for these difficult lesions. Radiation has the highest
reported chance of success, but is only available ina small number of specialty centers.
Melanomas are most commonly found in grey
horses and may be within the skin or affecting thestructures of the eye itself. Although a majority
are considered benign tumors, in horses that are
not grey melanomas are likely to be malignant,and even in grey horses they often metastasize.
Skin melanomas are usually successfully treated
via surgical excision, but melanomas within theeye itself often require enucleation (removal of theeye). Occasionally, surgical removal of an intraocular melanoma may be successfully attempted,
but this is a highly specialized surgery and is rarelya suitable option.
Squamous cell carcinomas commonly are diagnosed in the structures around the eye, and areespecially likely to occur in horses with limited pigmentation of these structures. They will eventuallymetastasize, and early complete surgical removal isrecommended as it is frequently curative, although

N AT I O N A L

H

Eye Neoplasia
eoplasia is the abnormal growth of tissue
which, if it forms a mass, is commonly
known as a tumor. Neoplasia may be benign (tends
to be less destructive) or malignant (tends to beinvasive and may spread to other tissues). The
spread of a tumor is known as metastasis. Tumorsof the eye itself are very rare in horses, but tumorsof the structures around the eye are surprisingly
common. The most commonly diagnosed typesof neoplasia in this area are sarcoids, melanomas,
and squamous cell carcinomas. Other tumors suchas lymphoma and mast cell tumors may also befound. Most tumors around the eye of the horse
do not metastasize, but they can be locally aggressive and have serious effects on the welfare and use

4

Eye neoplasia.

urricane Harvey was a storm for the record
books, striking the Texas coast in late August 2017. The storm battered communities with
Category 4 winds and lingered for four days, andcausing rain bands stretching 100 miles inland and
300 miles up the coast. Heavy rainfall saturated
the Houston metropolitan area, with one particularlocation receiving in excess of 60 inches and setting a new record for rainfall totals in a single U.S.
storm. While the wind did its share of damage, it
was the massive amount of rain and subsequent
flooding over the following two weeks that had
the most devastating impact on people, animals,
property, and crops.
Floodwaters reached hundreds of thousands ofhomes, displacing 30,000 people and prompting
more than 17,000 rescues. Early state and federal
disaster declarations in the anticipated impact
zone were a godsend, making resources available
for evacuation and response activities even as thestorm approached. Ultimately, 41 counties were
included in disaster declarations due to storm
damage.
These 41 counties are home to 1.6 million
cattle and 88,000 horses, donkeys, and mules.
While there have been major floods in portionsof this area in recent years, nothing could prepare
livestock owners and emergency responders for a
1,000-year event such as this. Livestock owners
moved their animals to what should have beensafe havens, only to have them threatened again
as floodwaters continued to rise over the following
days.
Emergency situations forced some livestock
owners to make difficult choices, but there is atleast one shining example of how pre-planning
paid dividends. Parson’s Mounted Calvary Corpsof Cadets at Texas A&M University and the Houston Police Department Mounted Unit exercised astanding arrangement where the Houston Police

2

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Fourth Quarter, 2017

T

Equine Disease Quarterly
Editors

Peter Timoney
Alan Loynachan
Cynthia Gaskill

Staff

Diane Furry
Tawana Brown
Dennis Duross

Correspondence should be
addressed to the editors,
Department of Veterinary
Science, Maxwell H. Gluck
Equine Research Center,
University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky USA,40546-0099
Telephone (859) 257-4757
Fax (859) 257-8542
Internet address:
http://gluck.ca.uky.edu/
equine-disease-quarterly
Material published in the
Quarterly is not subject tocopyright. Permission istherefore granted toreproduce articles, althoughacknowledgment of thesource and author is requested.
The University of Kentucky
is an Equal Opportunity
Organization.

Printed on recycled paper

he International Collating Centre, Newmarket, United Kingdom, and other sources
reported the following equine disease outbreaks.
Isolated cases of African horse sickness (AHS)
were recorded in South Africa. The disease wasconfirmed in the Eastern Cape, Free State andGauteng Provinces, all within the AHS infectedarea of the country. Turkey confirmed one case of
glanders during routine screening.
The USA reported nine outbreaks of equine influenza involving four states with multiple cases in
Texas. One outbreak was also confirmed in the UK.
France, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, theUK, and the USA recorded outbreaks of strangles.
The number of confirmed disease events ranged
from 11 in France, three in Germany, sporadic
occurrence in South Africa, three in Switzerland,
endemic in the UK, and the USA with outbreaks
reported in 12 states. Equine herpesvirus 1(EHV-1) related diseases were reported by France,
Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, and theUSA. EHV-1 respiratory disease was recorded in
Ireland (five cases), Japan (one outbreak), South
Africa (two cases), and the USA (widespread invarious states). Abortion was confirmed by France(two cases), Germany (two cases), Japan (single
cases on five premises), and the USA (two cases).
EHV-1 neurological disease was diagnosed in
France (three outbreaks, each involving a single
case of the disease), Germany (one case), and theUSA (single outbreaks in seven states; seven casesin one outbreak associated with a G2254 strainof the virus). France (18 outbreaks), Switzerland(one case), and the UK (three outbreaks) reported
respiratory illness associated with equine herpesvirus 4 infection. The USA diagnosed a single caseof abortion.
Equine herpesvirus 2 and/or 5 infection wasrecorded in several states in the USA, sometimes
associated with evidence of respiratory disease.

Canada (four cases in Alberta and one in Quebec),
France (single case), and the USA (one case in Tennessee, two in Kansas, and multiple cases in Montana), confirmed occurrences of equine infectious
anemia in the fourth quarter of 2017. Equine piroplasmosis was reported to be endemic in France
and in South Africa, with 27 cases diagnosed in sixof the nine provinces.France, Germany, and South
Korea recorded cases of contagious equine metritis.
A yearling filly without any breeding history was
found positive on a pre-export test in France. Twocases were diagnosed in Germany, and South Korea
detected 22 positives among 2,165 samples tested
without specifying in which quarter they wereidentified. Eight cases of leptospiral abortion werediagnosed in Kentucky, USA. The USA reported
10 cases of serogroup B Salmonellae in Kentucky.
One case of equine neorickettsiosis was recordedin Washington State, USA.
Rotaviral enteritis was confirmed in Argentina(two outbreaks in 2-month-old Thoroughbred foals
on separate premises) and France (a single case).
The USA reported cases of proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis in
Kentucky (10 cases) and Pennsylvania (one case).
Clostridial enteritis/enterocolitis due to Clostridium perfringens Type C toxin was linked to six
cases of disease in Kentucky. The USA confirmed
30 cases of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis in
the fourth quarter of 2017, 12 of which werediagnosed in Wisconsin.
103 cases of West Nile encephalitis were reported across numerous states in the USA, withNew York and Utah each responsible for 26
cases. Rhodococcal-related disease is endemic in
the USA, with eight cases confirmed during thereview period. Infection with Corynebacterium
pseudotuberculosis, the cause of Pigeon Fever isendemic in the USA; a single case was diagnosed
in Washington State.

Cutaneous LymphangitisT

he lymphatic system is an important component of the cardiovascular system and consistsof lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen,
and thymus. Lymph, which is a clear colorless
fluid, is formed from fluid loss that occurs during

normal nutrient exchange in capillary beds. Lymph
is transported by lymphatic vessels to regional
lymph nodes for filtration to aid in immunologic
detection of microorganisms, toxins, and foreignmaterial. Once filtered, the lymph is again trans-

ported by lymphatic vessels to large veins, which
ultimately return it back into the circulatory system to replenish the fluid lost from the capillaries.
Lymphatic disease can occur when lymph vessels
become inflamed, leaky, and/or blocked.
Cutaneous lymphangitis—inflammation oflymphatic vessels of the skin—is fairly uncommon in horses, does not exhibit age, sex, or
breed predilections, and can develop from both
infectious and non-infectious causes. Clinically,
cutaneous lymphangitis can manifest as a swollen
limb, skin abnormalities characterized as multiple
skin nodules that can abscess or develop draining
tracts, and/or lameness. Cutaneous lymphangitis
typically affects the distal portion of a single hind
limb, between the hock and hoof. Due to the characteristic appearance of affected limbs, the disease
is commonly referred to as “big leg” or “fat leg.”
Infectious cutaneous lymphangitis has traditionally been associated with poor hygiene
and insect transmission of microorganisms. It is
sporadically diagnosed in horses, but sometimes
occurs simultaneously in multiple horses on thesame farm. Infection of the lymphatic systemdevelops following contamination of skin wounds
by various bacteria, most commonly Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (the causative agent ofulcerative lymphangitis/pigeon fever). However,pure or mixed infections with other bacteria, suchas Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Trueperellapyogenes, Rhodococcus equi, Pasteurella haemolytica,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Actinobacillus equuli, and Burkholderia mallei(the cause of glanders) can also result in cutaneous lymphangitis. Additionally, pathogenic fungisuch as Sporothrix sp. (the cause of sporothricosis)
or Histoplasma farciminosum (the cause of epizo-

otic lymphangitis) also have been associated withlymphatic system infection. The USA is currently
free from glanders and epizootic lymphangitis.
Treatment of infectious cutaneous lymphangitis
includes appropriate antimicrobials, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, hydrotherapy, and surgical fluid drainage.
Cutaneous lymphangitis can become chronic ifleft untreated or if treatment is ineffective. Chronic
expansion of the subcutis by edematous fluiddue to faulty lymphatic vessels can result in thedeposition of fibrous tissue and permanent limb
disfigurement. This emphasizes the importanceof rapid diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous
lymphangitis.
Sporadic lymphangitis, also known as “Monday morning leg,” can also result in swollen distal
hindlimbs. This condition can develop in horsesthat are stabled or immobile for extended lengthsof time, typically days or more. The cause ofsporadic lymphangitis is not well understood,
but luckily the condition typically resolves after
exercise.
Cutaneous lymphangitis is occasionally diagnosed at the University of Kentucky Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratory. However, the exact frequency of the condition cannot be easily estimatedthrough typical diagnostic submissions, because
diagnoses are frequently made by veterinariansin the field and don’t require extensive diagnostic
evaluations.

3N

horses with no pigmentation will always be at riskof developing further lesions. Radiation treatment
and topical or intralesional chemotherapy can also
be useful in selected cases.
Lymphoma may occur as a mass in, on, or
around the eye, and the clinical signs associatedwith its development will depend on its location.
Although occasionally this may be a solitary mass,
lymphoma has a high likelihood of involving distant structures, and without very early recognition
and treatment is often fatal. Complete surgicalremoval of the eye and surrounding structures may
be curative in some cases.
Mast cell tumors are occasionally seen affecting
the structures around the eye, and can usually be
successfully surgically removed. In horses (unlike
in dogs) they are rarely a malignant lesion.
Other tumor types are very rare, but may present in a variety of forms. It is always prudent toseek early veterinary intervention when masses
arise to maximize the chance of a good result.
CONTACT:
Anna Hollis, BVetMed, DACVIM, DipECEIM, MRCVS
anna.hollis@aht.org.uk
Animal Health Trust
Newmarket, United Kingdom

Hurricane Harvey:
Impact and Response Related to Texas Equids

CONTACT:
Dr. Alan Loynachanalan.loynachan@uky.edu(859) 257-8283
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentuckyof the horse. Early treatment of eye neoplasia istherefore strongly recommended.
Sarcoids are believed to be the most common
skin tumor of the horse and can be seen in various forms. Sarcoids that occur around the eye are
frequently more aggressive in nature, invading
into the eyelid musculature, especially thoselocated on the upper eyelid. Horses will usually
have additional sarcoids in other locations, so
a thorough examination of the horse is recommended to identify any other lesions that need to
be treated. Traditionally, sarcoids were often left
without treatment, but as they almost invariably
become larger and more difficult to treat, earlyintervention is strongly recommended to avoid

long-term sequelae. Treatment may involve topicalor intralesional chemotherapy, surgical procedures(most successfully by laser surgical removal), or radiotherapy. No single treatment is 100% successful
for these difficult lesions. Radiation has the highest
reported chance of success, but is only available ina small number of specialty centers.
Melanomas are most commonly found in grey
horses and may be within the skin or affecting thestructures of the eye itself. Although a majority
are considered benign tumors, in horses that are
not grey melanomas are likely to be malignant,and even in grey horses they often metastasize.
Skin melanomas are usually successfully treated
via surgical excision, but melanomas within theeye itself often require enucleation (removal of theeye). Occasionally, surgical removal of an intraocular melanoma may be successfully attempted,
but this is a highly specialized surgery and is rarelya suitable option.
Squamous cell carcinomas commonly are diagnosed in the structures around the eye, and areespecially likely to occur in horses with limited pigmentation of these structures. They will eventuallymetastasize, and early complete surgical removal isrecommended as it is frequently curative, although

N AT I O N A L

H

Eye Neoplasia
eoplasia is the abnormal growth of tissue
which, if it forms a mass, is commonly
known as a tumor. Neoplasia may be benign (tends
to be less destructive) or malignant (tends to beinvasive and may spread to other tissues). The
spread of a tumor is known as metastasis. Tumorsof the eye itself are very rare in horses, but tumorsof the structures around the eye are surprisingly
common. The most commonly diagnosed typesof neoplasia in this area are sarcoids, melanomas,
and squamous cell carcinomas. Other tumors suchas lymphoma and mast cell tumors may also befound. Most tumors around the eye of the horse
do not metastasize, but they can be locally aggressive and have serious effects on the welfare and use

4

Eye neoplasia.

urricane Harvey was a storm for the record
books, striking the Texas coast in late August 2017. The storm battered communities with
Category 4 winds and lingered for four days, andcausing rain bands stretching 100 miles inland and
300 miles up the coast. Heavy rainfall saturated
the Houston metropolitan area, with one particularlocation receiving in excess of 60 inches and setting a new record for rainfall totals in a single U.S.
storm. While the wind did its share of damage, it
was the massive amount of rain and subsequent
flooding over the following two weeks that had
the most devastating impact on people, animals,
property, and crops.
Floodwaters reached hundreds of thousands ofhomes, displacing 30,000 people and prompting
more than 17,000 rescues. Early state and federal
disaster declarations in the anticipated impact
zone were a godsend, making resources available
for evacuation and response activities even as thestorm approached. Ultimately, 41 counties were
included in disaster declarations due to storm
damage.
These 41 counties are home to 1.6 million
cattle and 88,000 horses, donkeys, and mules.
While there have been major floods in portionsof this area in recent years, nothing could prepare
livestock owners and emergency responders for a
1,000-year event such as this. Livestock owners
moved their animals to what should have beensafe havens, only to have them threatened again
as floodwaters continued to rise over the following
days.
Emergency situations forced some livestock
owners to make difficult choices, but there is atleast one shining example of how pre-planning
paid dividends. Parson’s Mounted Calvary Corpsof Cadets at Texas A&M University and the Houston Police Department Mounted Unit exercised astanding arrangement where the Houston Police

2

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Fourth Quarter, 2017

T

Equine Disease Quarterly
Editors

Peter Timoney
Alan Loynachan
Cynthia Gaskill

Staff

Diane Furry
Tawana Brown
Dennis Duross

Correspondence should be
addressed to the editors,
Department of Veterinary
Science, Maxwell H. Gluck
Equine Research Center,
University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky USA,40546-0099
Telephone (859) 257-4757
Fax (859) 257-8542
Internet address:
http://gluck.ca.uky.edu/
equine-disease-quarterly
Material published in the
Quarterly is not subject tocopyright. Permission istherefore granted toreproduce articles, althoughacknowledgment of thesource and author is requested.
The University of Kentucky
is an Equal Opportunity
Organization.

Printed on recycled paper

he International Collating Centre, Newmarket, United Kingdom, and other sources
reported the following equine disease outbreaks.
Isolated cases of African horse sickness (AHS)
were recorded in South Africa. The disease wasconfirmed in the Eastern Cape, Free State andGauteng Provinces, all within the AHS infectedarea of the country. Turkey confirmed one case of
glanders during routine screening.
The USA reported nine outbreaks of equine influenza involving four states with multiple cases in
Texas. One outbreak was also confirmed in the UK.
France, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, theUK, and the USA recorded outbreaks of strangles.
The number of confirmed disease events ranged
from 11 in France, three in Germany, sporadic
occurrence in South Africa, three in Switzerland,
endemic in the UK, and the USA with outbreaks
reported in 12 states. Equine herpesvirus 1(EHV-1) related diseases were reported by France,
Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, and theUSA. EHV-1 respiratory disease was recorded in
Ireland (five cases), Japan (one outbreak), South
Africa (two cases), and the USA (widespread invarious states). Abortion was confirmed by France(two cases), Germany (two cases), Japan (single
cases on five premises), and the USA (two cases).
EHV-1 neurological disease was diagnosed in
France (three outbreaks, each involving a single
case of the disease), Germany (one case), and theUSA (single outbreaks in seven states; seven casesin one outbreak associated with a G2254 strainof the virus). France (18 outbreaks), Switzerland(one case), and the UK (three outbreaks) reported
respiratory illness associated with equine herpesvirus 4 infection. The USA diagnosed a single caseof abortion.
Equine herpesvirus 2 and/or 5 infection wasrecorded in several states in the USA, sometimes
associated with evidence of respiratory disease.

Canada (four cases in Alberta and one in Quebec),
France (single case), and the USA (one case in Tennessee, two in Kansas, and multiple cases in Montana), confirmed occurrences of equine infectious
anemia in the fourth quarter of 2017. Equine piroplasmosis was reported to be endemic in France
and in South Africa, with 27 cases diagnosed in sixof the nine provinces.France, Germany, and South
Korea recorded cases of contagious equine metritis.
A yearling filly without any breeding history was
found positive on a pre-export test in France. Twocases were diagnosed in Germany, and South Korea
detected 22 positives among 2,165 samples tested
without specifying in which quarter they wereidentified. Eight cases of leptospiral abortion werediagnosed in Kentucky, USA. The USA reported
10 cases of serogroup B Salmonellae in Kentucky.
One case of equine neorickettsiosis was recordedin Washington State, USA.
Rotaviral enteritis was confirmed in Argentina(two outbreaks in 2-month-old Thoroughbred foals
on separate premises) and France (a single case).
The USA reported cases of proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis in
Kentucky (10 cases) and Pennsylvania (one case).
Clostridial enteritis/enterocolitis due to Clostridium perfringens Type C toxin was linked to six
cases of disease in Kentucky. The USA confirmed
30 cases of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis in
the fourth quarter of 2017, 12 of which werediagnosed in Wisconsin.
103 cases of West Nile encephalitis were reported across numerous states in the USA, withNew York and Utah each responsible for 26
cases. Rhodococcal-related disease is endemic in
the USA, with eight cases confirmed during thereview period. Infection with Corynebacterium
pseudotuberculosis, the cause of Pigeon Fever isendemic in the USA; a single case was diagnosed
in Washington State.

Cutaneous LymphangitisT

he lymphatic system is an important component of the cardiovascular system and consistsof lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen,
and thymus. Lymph, which is a clear colorless
fluid, is formed from fluid loss that occurs during

normal nutrient exchange in capillary beds. Lymph
is transported by lymphatic vessels to regional
lymph nodes for filtration to aid in immunologic
detection of microorganisms, toxins, and foreignmaterial. Once filtered, the lymph is again trans-

ported by lymphatic vessels to large veins, which
ultimately return it back into the circulatory system to replenish the fluid lost from the capillaries.
Lymphatic disease can occur when lymph vessels
become inflamed, leaky, and/or blocked.
Cutaneous lymphangitis—inflammation oflymphatic vessels of the skin—is fairly uncommon in horses, does not exhibit age, sex, or
breed predilections, and can develop from both
infectious and non-infectious causes. Clinically,
cutaneous lymphangitis can manifest as a swollen
limb, skin abnormalities characterized as multiple
skin nodules that can abscess or develop draining
tracts, and/or lameness. Cutaneous lymphangitis
typically affects the distal portion of a single hind
limb, between the hock and hoof. Due to the characteristic appearance of affected limbs, the disease
is commonly referred to as “big leg” or “fat leg.”
Infectious cutaneous lymphangitis has traditionally been associated with poor hygiene
and insect transmission of microorganisms. It is
sporadically diagnosed in horses, but sometimes
occurs simultaneously in multiple horses on thesame farm. Infection of the lymphatic systemdevelops following contamination of skin wounds
by various bacteria, most commonly Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (the causative agent ofulcerative lymphangitis/pigeon fever). However,pure or mixed infections with other bacteria, suchas Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Trueperellapyogenes, Rhodococcus equi, Pasteurella haemolytica,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Actinobacillus equuli, and Burkholderia mallei(the cause of glanders) can also result in cutaneous lymphangitis. Additionally, pathogenic fungisuch as Sporothrix sp. (the cause of sporothricosis)
or Histoplasma farciminosum (the cause of epizo-

otic lymphangitis) also have been associated withlymphatic system infection. The USA is currently
free from glanders and epizootic lymphangitis.
Treatment of infectious cutaneous lymphangitis
includes appropriate antimicrobials, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, hydrotherapy, and surgical fluid drainage.
Cutaneous lymphangitis can become chronic ifleft untreated or if treatment is ineffective. Chronic
expansion of the subcutis by edematous fluiddue to faulty lymphatic vessels can result in thedeposition of fibrous tissue and permanent limb
disfigurement. This emphasizes the importanceof rapid diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous
lymphangitis.
Sporadic lymphangitis, also known as “Monday morning leg,” can also result in swollen distal
hindlimbs. This condition can develop in horsesthat are stabled or immobile for extended lengthsof time, typically days or more. The cause ofsporadic lymphangitis is not well understood,
but luckily the condition typically resolves after
exercise.
Cutaneous lymphangitis is occasionally diagnosed at the University of Kentucky Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratory. However, the exact frequency of the condition cannot be easily estimatedthrough typical diagnostic submissions, because
diagnoses are frequently made by veterinariansin the field and don’t require extensive diagnostic
evaluations.

3N

horses with no pigmentation will always be at riskof developing further lesions. Radiation treatment
and topical or intralesional chemotherapy can also
be useful in selected cases.
Lymphoma may occur as a mass in, on, or
around the eye, and the clinical signs associatedwith its development will depend on its location.
Although occasionally this may be a solitary mass,
lymphoma has a high likelihood of involving distant structures, and without very early recognition
and treatment is often fatal. Complete surgicalremoval of the eye and surrounding structures may
be curative in some cases.
Mast cell tumors are occasionally seen affecting
the structures around the eye, and can usually be
successfully surgically removed. In horses (unlike
in dogs) they are rarely a malignant lesion.
Other tumor types are very rare, but may present in a variety of forms. It is always prudent toseek early veterinary intervention when masses
arise to maximize the chance of a good result.
CONTACT:
Anna Hollis, BVetMed, DACVIM, DipECEIM, MRCVS
anna.hollis@aht.org.uk
Animal Health Trust
Newmarket, United Kingdom

Hurricane Harvey:
Impact and Response Related to Texas Equids

CONTACT:
Dr. Alan Loynachanalan.loynachan@uky.edu(859) 257-8283
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentuckyof the horse. Early treatment of eye neoplasia istherefore strongly recommended.
Sarcoids are believed to be the most common
skin tumor of the horse and can be seen in various forms. Sarcoids that occur around the eye are
frequently more aggressive in nature, invading
into the eyelid musculature, especially thoselocated on the upper eyelid. Horses will usually
have additional sarcoids in other locations, so
a thorough examination of the horse is recommended to identify any other lesions that need to
be treated. Traditionally, sarcoids were often left
without treatment, but as they almost invariably
become larger and more difficult to treat, earlyintervention is strongly recommended to avoid

long-term sequelae. Treatment may involve topicalor intralesional chemotherapy, surgical procedures(most successfully by laser surgical removal), or radiotherapy. No single treatment is 100% successful
for these difficult lesions. Radiation has the highest
reported chance of success, but is only available ina small number of specialty centers.
Melanomas are most commonly found in grey
horses and may be within the skin or affecting thestructures of the eye itself. Although a majority
are considered benign tumors, in horses that are
not grey melanomas are likely to be malignant,and even in grey horses they often metastasize.
Skin melanomas are usually successfully treated
via surgical excision, but melanomas within theeye itself often require enucleation (removal of theeye). Occasionally, surgical removal of an intraocular melanoma may be successfully attempted,
but this is a highly specialized surgery and is rarelya suitable option.
Squamous cell carcinomas commonly are diagnosed in the structures around the eye, and areespecially likely to occur in horses with limited pigmentation of these structures. They will eventuallymetastasize, and early complete surgical removal isrecommended as it is frequently curative, although

N AT I O N A L

H

Eye Neoplasia
eoplasia is the abnormal growth of tissue
which, if it forms a mass, is commonly
known as a tumor. Neoplasia may be benign (tends
to be less destructive) or malignant (tends to beinvasive and may spread to other tissues). The
spread of a tumor is known as metastasis. Tumorsof the eye itself are very rare in horses, but tumorsof the structures around the eye are surprisingly
common. The most commonly diagnosed typesof neoplasia in this area are sarcoids, melanomas,
and squamous cell carcinomas. Other tumors suchas lymphoma and mast cell tumors may also befound. Most tumors around the eye of the horse
do not metastasize, but they can be locally aggressive and have serious effects on the welfare and use

4

Eye neoplasia.

urricane Harvey was a storm for the record
books, striking the Texas coast in late August 2017. The storm battered communities with
Category 4 winds and lingered for four days, andcausing rain bands stretching 100 miles inland and
300 miles up the coast. Heavy rainfall saturated
the Houston metropolitan area, with one particularlocation receiving in excess of 60 inches and setting a new record for rainfall totals in a single U.S.
storm. While the wind did its share of damage, it
was the massive amount of rain and subsequent
flooding over the following two weeks that had
the most devastating impact on people, animals,
property, and crops.
Floodwaters reached hundreds of thousands ofhomes, displacing 30,000 people and prompting
more than 17,000 rescues. Early state and federal
disaster declarations in the anticipated impact
zone were a godsend, making resources available
for evacuation and response activities even as thestorm approached. Ultimately, 41 counties were
included in disaster declarations due to storm
damage.
These 41 counties are home to 1.6 million
cattle and 88,000 horses, donkeys, and mules.
While there have been major floods in portionsof this area in recent years, nothing could prepare
livestock owners and emergency responders for a
1,000-year event such as this. Livestock owners
moved their animals to what should have beensafe havens, only to have them threatened again
as floodwaters continued to rise over the following
days.
Emergency situations forced some livestock
owners to make difficult choices, but there is atleast one shining example of how pre-planning
paid dividends. Parson’s Mounted Calvary Corpsof Cadets at Texas A&M University and the Houston Police Department Mounted Unit exercised astanding arrangement where the Houston Police

Equine Disease Quarterly Newsletter

5

train Calvary Corps horses in crowd control techniques and in exchange the Corps shelters police
horses in an evacuation event such as Hurricane
Harvey.
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC)
is the primary coordinating agency for animal
response operations related to non-disease animalrelated incidents and the Emergency Support
Function (ESF)-11 animal-related actions. TAHC
coordinated the efforts of 36 different agencies andorganizations during Hurricane Harvey. More than
700 calls were received on the Harvey Hotline,
and staff worked tirelessly to match resources withneeds. Lists of pre-arranged livestock evacuation
facilities were provided to callers through information centers. With the governor’s approval, TAHC
waived requirements for a current negative EIA teston evacuated horses. National Veterinary Services
Laboratory quickly developed guidelines allowing approved EIA laboratories to conduct tests at
shelters to mitigate disease transmission risk.
The most common maladies encountered werelower extremity skin injuries due to horses standing in water for extended periods and colic most
likely due to changes in diet. The Texas A&M
Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) deployed infive locations to triage, treat, and send animals
to shelters or referral clinics still in operation.
To manage information and utilize services ofveterinarians and technicians volunteering from

Texas and across the United States, a database wascreated and shared with responding entities. The
Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners issued temporary licenses to veterinarians assistingfrom other states. Managing offers from volunteers
and donations were challenges in themselves.
As conditions allowed, Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension agents and other responders establishedthirteen livestock supply points in stricken areas,
distributing generously donated livestock feed andsupplies. USDA Wildlife Services aircraft pilots,
along with volunteers in airboats, gathered coordinates on marooned livestock. National Guard
helicopters, made available after human rescue
missions were completed, dropped a total of 117
tons of hay to stranded livestock. More hay wasdelivered by airboats and high profile vehicles.
The real story of Hurricane Harvey is how owners took responsibility for their own livestock and,
when conditions became extreme, how neighbors
and strangers alike pulled together to help anyone
in need. There were many, many more significant
response efforts than are mentioned here. TAHC
is honored to have been a part of this outstanding
combined effort in response to Hurricane Harvey.

Racehorse Breakdowns:
The Importance of Postmortem Examinations
often answer the question “Why would someone
want a postmortem exam on an animal?” As aveterinary pathologist involved in a necropsy program for racehorses that have experienced racetrack
injuries, I get much the same question from bothlay people and professionals in the horse industry.
People understand why a postmortem is warranted
in a case of sudden death, but understanding theneed for a necropsy on a horse that has sustained
a catastrophic musculoskeletal injury is less clear.
Like all athletes, Thoroughbred racehorses experience a consistent pattern of repetitive use wear
associated with their musculoskeletal systems. An
analogy familiar to most is the term “tennis elbow.”
For people with even a passing familiarity withsports, “Tommy John” surgery for baseball pitch-

Department of Veterinary Science
Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099
Address Service Requested

F U N D E D B Y U N D E R W R I T E R S AT L LOY D ' S , LO N D O N

APRIL 2018
Volume 27, Number 2

C O M M E N TA RY
IN THIS ISSUE
Commentary
International
Fourth Quarter2017  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2Cutaneous
Lymphangitis .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2Eye Neoplasia  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3

CONTACT:
Andy Schwartz, DVM
Andy.Schwartz@tahc.texas.gov(512) 719-0715
Texas Animal Health Commission
Austin, Texas

KENTUCKYI

Presorted Standard
US Postage Paid
Permit 51
Lexington KY

ers is a commonly recognized term, as rotator cuff
injuries also are a familiar malady in quarterbacks.
The association between pre-existing lesions
and catastrophic injuries has been documented formany years, beginning with the flagship postmortem program instituted in California. Greater than
80% of horses that suffer a fatal musculoskeletal
injury have pre-existing underlying pathology
related to the fracture, indicating that the final
catastrophic event is the culmination of repetitive wear and not an isolated incident caused bya “bad step” or a “hole in the track.” By careful
examination of the horse, the acute, catastrophic
injury can be documented as well as the underlying pathology. Additionally, non-musculoskeletal
health issues can be addressed.

National
Hurricane Harvey .  .  .  . 4

Mortality reviews are conducted with the trainers, the equine medical director, and the stewards
following catastrophic breakdowns. The goal ofthese reviews is not to place blame, but to educate
and implement strategies to prevent similar injuries
going forward. The overall health and conditionof the horse, its training and racing records, andthe outcome of the postmortem examination
are reviewed in the hope of identifying risk factors for that particular horse and opportunities
for future intervention. Additionally, it is hopedthat the trainer will disseminate the knowledge
gained by sharing their experience with others,
including those who work in their barn, friends,
and colleagues. Health issues that may not havebeen clinically apparent but are identified on
postmortem examination can be addressed, withinformative conversations regarding such things as
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH)
and gastric ulcers. In a very complicated set of cir-

cumstances, the postmortem examination brings
objectivity to these observations.
The ultimate goal of any postmortem programis to mitigate the risk of injury to the horse, andin turn, the exercise riders and jockeys that are
involved. Catastrophic breakdowns are the leading cause of serious injury to riders, and in sometragic cases, death. While postmortem examinations may be “too late” for the horse in question,
the value to the entire population of horses and tothe connections of a particular horse are invaluable. We owe it to the horses, riders, trainers, andthe racing community as a whole to address thisissue. Breakdowns are not inevitable events. We
can mitigate the risk of their occurrence in horses
through careful and determined study.
CONTACT:
Laura A. Kennedy DVM, DACVP
drlaurakennedy@uky.edu(859) 257-6393
University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Lexington, Kentucky

Kentucky
Racehorse
Breakdowns .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 5

College of Agriculture,
Food and Environment
Department of
Veterinary ScienceT

his is a clarion call for every equine owner,
manager, caretaker, veterinarian/scientist, orother equine stakeholder with the desire to maintain and improve the welfare of the horse and thequality of life of the equine industry stakeholders
before, during, and after disaster events. Water,
food, fuel, shelter, medical care—how will you
access these vital needs for survival for you, yourhorse(s), and other family/team members, pets,and livestock if faced with a disaster event likethose that affected millions last year along ourcoasts, in our heartland, and in cities, towns, andvillages all over the U.S. and in other countries?
What is your plan when water is rising or fire is
racing so fast around your farm or stable that you
cannot get your horses out? What is your plan if
you and your horses are involved in a vehicular
accident during transport or if you are required to“stop-movement” due to a disease outbreak? With
the multitude of maladies that can and will occur
to us and our animals in our lifetime, can you
answer “yes” to the question, “Have we done ‘due
diligence’ with developing a functional all-hazards
disaster plan to protect us and the animals thatmake up such a significant part of our lives?” Inan age of increasing exposure to extreme weather
events exacerbated by climate change along withhuman and animal population expansion, it is nota matter of if, but when will it happen to each andevery one of us in some capacity. It is time for us asequine stakeholders to wake up and heed the callover 13 years (or longer) in the making, to takeresponsibility for our own lives and the horses thatmean so much to us, our families, our economy,
our country, and our world.
Since 2005, post-hurricanes Katrina and Rita,
animal issues have become a real part of the discussion regarding emergency planning in communities, especially pet animals since saving animal lives

saves human lives. People are more apt to evacuate
out of harm’s way if there are provisions for the animals. Many areas of our country have made major
progress and have made it a priority and routine
to be proactive with planning in areas prone torepeated disasters (e.g. coastal Florida, parts ofLouisiana and Mississippi, Texas, California, andothers). However, it is clear that complacency andlack of situational awareness related to individual
risk still seems to be the norm at the local community level. Although there are numerous stories ofheroes, lives saved, positive outcomes in recent andpast disasters, the losses continue to mount. Manyof these losses are repeats of the same mistakes happening again and again. Will it really take a disastersuch as Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Maria, or major
wildfire for folks to realize that responsible horseowners must have a functional disaster plan? Let’stake 2017 as the real wake-up call and apply our
passion for these majestic animals to make 2018
and our future stronger, brighter, and better for thehorse and the people who share this common bond.
Let’s make coordinated, concerted efforts in ourown communities to strengthen our home, farm,
ranch, business, and community disaster plans.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with thenumerous resources that are available to assist withlocal community disaster planning. The AVMA,
AAEP, and State Ag Extension Services, and community response teams are good places to start.
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/disaster-planninghorse-farms
https://ebusiness.avma.org/
https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/
is10comp.pdf
Contact:
Rebecca McConnico, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVIM (LA)rmcconn@latech.edu(318) 257-2418
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana

Equine Disease Quarterly Newsletter

5

train Calvary Corps horses in crowd control techniques and in exchange the Corps shelters police
horses in an evacuation event such as Hurricane
Harvey.
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC)
is the primary coordinating agency for animal
response operations related to non-disease animalrelated incidents and the Emergency Support
Function (ESF)-11 animal-related actions. TAHC
coordinated the efforts of 36 different agencies andorganizations during Hurricane Harvey. More than
700 calls were received on the Harvey Hotline,
and staff worked tirelessly to match resources withneeds. Lists of pre-arranged livestock evacuation
facilities were provided to callers through information centers. With the governor’s approval, TAHC
waived requirements for a current negative EIA teston evacuated horses. National Veterinary Services
Laboratory quickly developed guidelines allowing approved EIA laboratories to conduct tests at
shelters to mitigate disease transmission risk.
The most common maladies encountered werelower extremity skin injuries due to horses standing in water for extended periods and colic most
likely due to changes in diet. The Texas A&M
Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) deployed infive locations to triage, treat, and send animals
to shelters or referral clinics still in operation.
To manage information and utilize services ofveterinarians and technicians volunteering from

Texas and across the United States, a database wascreated and shared with responding entities. The
Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners issued temporary licenses to veterinarians assistingfrom other states. Managing offers from volunteers
and donations were challenges in themselves.
As conditions allowed, Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension agents and other responders establishedthirteen livestock supply points in stricken areas,
distributing generously donated livestock feed andsupplies. USDA Wildlife Services aircraft pilots,
along with volunteers in airboats, gathered coordinates on marooned livestock. National Guard
helicopters, made available after human rescue
missions were completed, dropped a total of 117
tons of hay to stranded livestock. More hay wasdelivered by airboats and high profile vehicles.
The real story of Hurricane Harvey is how owners took responsibility for their own livestock and,
when conditions became extreme, how neighbors
and strangers alike pulled together to help anyone
in need. There were many, many more significant
response efforts than are mentioned here. TAHC
is honored to have been a part of this outstanding
combined effort in response to Hurricane Harvey.

Racehorse Breakdowns:
The Importance of Postmortem Examinations
often answer the question “Why would someone
want a postmortem exam on an animal?” As aveterinary pathologist involved in a necropsy program for racehorses that have experienced racetrack
injuries, I get much the same question from bothlay people and professionals in the horse industry.
People understand why a postmortem is warranted
in a case of sudden death, but understanding theneed for a necropsy on a horse that has sustained
a catastrophic musculoskeletal injury is less clear.
Like all athletes, Thoroughbred racehorses experience a consistent pattern of repetitive use wear
associated with their musculoskeletal systems. An
analogy familiar to most is the term “tennis elbow.”
For people with even a passing familiarity withsports, “Tommy John” surgery for baseball pitch-

Address Service Requested

F U N D E D B Y U N D E R W R I T E R S AT L LOY D ' S , LO N D O N

APRIL 2018
Volume 27, Number 2

C O M M E N TA RY
IN THIS ISSUE
Commentary
International
Fourth Quarter2017  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2Cutaneous
Lymphangitis .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 2Eye Neoplasia  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3

CONTACT:
Andy Schwartz, DVM
Andy.Schwartz@tahc.texas.gov(512) 719-0715
Texas Animal Health Commission
Austin, Texas

KENTUCKYI

Department of Veterinary Science
Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099

ers is a commonly recognized term, as rotator cuff
injuries also are a familiar malady in quarterbacks.
The association between pre-existing lesions
and catastrophic injuries has been documented formany years, beginning with the flagship postmortem program instituted in California. Greater than
80% of horses that suffer a fatal musculoskeletal
injury have pre-existing underlying pathology
related to the fracture, indicating that the final
catastrophic event is the culmination of repetitive wear and not an isolated incident caused bya “bad step” or a “hole in the track.” By careful
examination of the horse, the acute, catastrophic
injury can be documented as well as the underlying pathology. Additionally, non-musculoskeletal
health issues can be addressed.

National
Hurricane Harvey  .  .  . 4

Mortality reviews are conducted with the trainers, the equine medical director, and the stewards
following catastrophic breakdowns. The goal ofthese reviews is not to place blame, but to educate
and implement strategies to prevent similar injuries
going forward. The overall health and conditionof the horse, its training and racing records, andthe outcome of the postmortem examination
are reviewed in the hope of identifying risk factors for that particular horse and opportunities
for future intervention. Additionally, it is hopedthat the trainer will disseminate the knowledge
gained by sharing their experience with others,
including those who work in their barn, friends,
and colleagues. Health issues that may not havebeen clinically apparent but are identified on
postmortem examination can be addressed, withinformative conversations regarding such things as
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH)
and gastric ulcers. In a very complicated set of cir-

cumstances, the postmortem examination brings
objectivity to these observations.
The ultimate goal of any postmortem programis to mitigate the risk of injury to the horse, andin turn, the exercise riders and jockeys that are
involved. Catastrophic breakdowns are the leading cause of serious injury to riders, and in sometragic cases, death. While postmortem examinations may be “too late” for the horse in question,
the value to the entire population of horses and tothe connections of a particular horse are invaluable. We owe it to the horses, riders, trainers, andthe racing community as a whole to address thisissue. Breakdowns are not inevitable events. We
can mitigate the risk of their occurrence in horses
through careful and determined study.
CONTACT:
Laura A. Kennedy DVM, DACVP
drlaurakennedy@uky.edu(859) 257-6393
University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Lexington, Kentucky

Kentucky
Racehorse
Breakdowns .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 5

College of Agriculture,
Food and Environment
Department of
Veterinary ScienceT

his is a clarion call for every equine owner,
manager, caretaker, veterinarian/scientist, orother equine stakeholder with the desire to maintain and improve the welfare of the horse and thequality of life of the equine industry stakeholders
before, during, and after disaster events. Water,
food, fuel, shelter, medical care—how will you
access these vital needs for survival for you, yourhorse(s), and other family/team members, pets,and livestock if faced with a disaster event likethose that affected millions last year along ourcoasts, in our heartland, and in cities, towns, andvillages all over the U.S. and in other countries?
What is your plan when water is rising or fire is
racing so fast around your farm or stable that you
cannot get your horses out? What is your plan if
you and your horses are involved in a vehicular
accident during transport or if you are required to“stop-movement” due to a disease outbreak? With
the multitude of maladies that can and will occur
to us and our animals in our lifetime, can you
answer “yes” to the question, “Have we done ‘due
diligence’ with developing a functional all-hazards
disaster plan to protect us and the animals thatmake up such a significant part of our lives?” Inan age of increasing exposure to extreme weather
events exacerbated by climate change along withhuman and animal population expansion, it is nota matter of if, but when will it happen to each andevery one of us in some capacity. It is time for us asequine stakeholders to wake up and heed the callover 13 years (or longer) in the making, to takeresponsibility for our own lives and the horses thatmean so much to us, our families, our economy,
our country, and our world.
Since 2005, post-hurricanes Katrina and Rita,
animal issues have become a real part of the discussion regarding emergency planning in communities, especially pet animals since saving animal lives

saves human lives. People are more apt to evacuate
out of harm’s way if there are provisions for the animals. Many areas of our country have made major
progress and have made it a priority and routine
to be proactive with planning in areas prone torepeated disasters (e.g. coastal Florida, parts ofLouisiana and Mississippi, Texas, California, andothers). However, it is clear that complacency andlack of situational awareness related to individual
risk still seems to be the norm at the local community level. Although there are numerous stories ofheroes, lives saved, positive outcomes in recent andpast disasters, the losses continue to mount. Manyof these losses are repeats of the same mistakes happening again and again. Will it really take a disastersuch as Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Maria, or major
wildfire for folks to realize that responsible horseowners must have a functional disaster plan? Let’stake 2017 as the real wake-up call and apply our
passion for these majestic animals to make 2018
and our future stronger, brighter, and better for thehorse and the people who share this common bond.
Let’s make coordinated, concerted efforts in ourown communities to strengthen our home, farm,
ranch, business, and community disaster plans.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with thenumerous resources that are available to assist withlocal community disaster planning. The AVMA,
AAEP, and State Ag Extension Services, and community response teams are good places to start.
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/disaster-planninghorse-farms
https://ebusiness.avma.org/
https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/
is10comp.pdf
Contact:
Rebecca McConnico, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVIM (LA)rmcconn@latech.edu(318) 257-2418
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana