ACADIA PARISH (KATC) — The Acadia Parish Rice Arena will be closed for at least two weeks as a proactive measure against Equine Herpesvirus or EHV-1, according to the parish police jury.
While there are no confirmed local cases at last check, in a post on Facebook, the police jury stating that this is out of an abundance of caution after consulting state officials. LSU Vet Med reports it is treating horses from Texas, confirmed for the virus. The arena will be undergoing full sanitization and a deep cleaning to reduce any potential risk to the equine community.
EHV-1 is a virus that spreads from horse to horse, typically through contact with nasal discharge and aerosol droplets, or from contaminated surfaces, according to LSU Vet Med. The virus can severely affect horses, often leading to hospitalization or potentially death in severe cases. Symptoms include nasal discharge, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, lethargy, and signs of neurological disease. The best way to limit the spread of the disease, according to experts, is to quarantine horses with potential exposure, and to clean and disinfect surfaces.
If you suspect your horse may have EHV-1, you should contact a veterinarian to discuss treatment options.
