Jan 30, 2018 3 min read

The Meadows Racetrack has extended its suspension of racing through Tuesday after three additional standardbred horses tested positive for the equine herpes virus or EHV-1.

The next race card will be Wednesday, Feb. 7 provided no other horses test positive for the virus.

The operations inside The Meadows Casino will not be affected. The track’s simulcasting of live racing will not be interrupted.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture was contacted because the state veterinarians fall under that umbrella.

“Animal health is one of the three primary responsibilities for the Department of Agriculture,” said Bonnie McCann, the department’s communications director. “These cases are not a common thing. If an animal is showing signs, they will monitor the situation, doing swabs, taking the temperature. Taking the temperature is the first indicator of that. … If they have reason to believe there is a neurological problem, they will figure out where that horse has been previously and what other horses have been exposed. Everyone wants what’s best for the horse.”

The three new cases were discovered Monday. Two additional horses were tested at the track but results were negative.

On Wednesday, Jan. 24, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture was notified that a standardbred horse at The Meadows had showed clinical signs consistent with Equine Herpes Virus Myeloencephalopathy and tested positive for EHV-1. At that time, two barns were placed under quarantine and all horses were restricted from entering or leaving the track.

The quarantine affected 190 horses in five barns at The Meadows. Trainers at the track are monitoring the three infected horses.

EHV-1 is a highly contagious virus commonly found in horse populations. Depending on the specific strain of the virus, the equine herpes virus can cause a variety of clinical signs in infected horses, including respiratory disease or abortion in pregnant mares. The EHM form of the disease can cause paralysis and ataxia in horses. In severe cases, the infected horse may be euthanized. EHV-1 can cause illness in horses, other equine animals and camelids (llamas and alpacas) but it does not pose a health threat to people or other animals.

EHV-1 can be spread by human contaminated hands or clothing, contaminated equipment, tack, trailers used for transporting horses, wipe rags or other grooming equipment, feed and water buckets. The air around the horse that is shedding the virus also can be contaminated.

Unless a new case is detected, horses can be cleared after 28 days without symptoms, or after 21 days with confirmation of negative test results from blood samples and nasal swab tests.

Clinically healthy horses are being allowed to jog around the track to stay in shape.