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Vets urge caution, not panic, over equine herpes virus

Horse owners have no need to panic over equine herpes virus, according to Quad City veterinarians.

Horse owners have no need to panic over equine herpes virus, according to Quad City veterinarians.

"It's something that's always out there, but periodically, we get these little flareups like this that will make people aware of it again and on edge about it sometimes, too," said Dr. Deke Carls, a veterinarian with Oakwood Veterinary Services in Colona.

Related: Horse shows cancelled after deadly virus strikes in Iowa and Illinois

Equine herpes virus, or EHV-1, is a respiratory illness, but it can also attack a horse's nervous system. Carls says most horses are exposed at a young age, but the virus lays latent until stress triggers a flare-up.

The virus has surfaced in northeastern Illinois, sickening three horses.

Area veterinarians say their phones have been ringing off the hook with questions about EHV-1.

"What freaks them out is there is nothing you can do when it hits. Just supportive care, and if they go down, chances are they aren't going to come up," said Dr. Doug Anderson, a veterinarian who specializes in horses.

In nearly 40 decades of practice, Anderson says he's never seen a case of EHV-1, though he's always on the lookout.

"We've kind of learned to live with it. We just go on and lay low for awhile, and just kind of realize it might rear its ugly head," said Anderson.

Both Carls and Anderson advise horse owners to be cautious, but say there's no reason to be scared or stay home all summer.

At Lost Grove Stables in Eldridge, barn manager Louise Ballanger remains careful, but not too concerned, about EHV-1.

"We do stay aware of it, and we definitely want to make sure our boarders and our people that go to different shows are safe," said Ballanger.

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