Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign

Merck Animal Health and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) have developed the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign (UHVRC), a non-profit program that will provide equine vaccines to qualified equine rescue and retirement facilities across the United States.

Through the UHVRC, Merck Animal Health will donate equine vaccines to qualifying equine rescue and retirement facilities to provide healthcare so they can rehabilitate, revitalize and, ultimately, re-home America’s unwanted horses.

Equine rescue and retirement facilities will be selected to receive complimentary equine vaccines based on the completed application, compliance with the AAEP Care Guidelines for Rescue and Retirement Facilities, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, their need, the potential impact on horses’ lives and the professional manner in which the facility is managed.

How to get involved

AAEP-member veterinarians can work with equine rescue and retirement facilities to receive complimentary Merck Animal Health equine vaccines. The AAEP-member veterinarian and equine rescue and retirement facility work together to submit an application, the facilities checklist and the equine vaccine order form. Only facilities that follow the AAEP Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities and have a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status will qualify for the program. Equine rescue and retirement facilities or veterinarians can download an application form, the AAEP Care Guidelines, and learn more atwww.UHVRC.org.

 Three of Merck Animal Health's equine vaccines are available through the UHVRC program: West Nile Virus vaccine; EquiRab™ rabies vaccine; and Prestige^® V (KY93, KY02 and NM2/93 Flu Strains, EHV-1, EHV-4, EEE, WEE and Tetanus).

A portion of all Merck Animal Health equine vaccine sales will support the program. There are two application periods per year. The spring deadline is February 1 and the fall deadline is August 1. Applicants may only apply once a year.

Please give the office a call if you are interested in this program.

EEE Vaccination Rebate Program for NY Horses

Henderson Equine Clinic is participating in this program. Two important notes are that it only includes horses vaccinated after 6/10/2012. And it is First come first served.

STATE OF NEW YORK

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS

10B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235

518-457-3502 fax 518-485-7773

EEE Vaccination Rebate Program for NY Horses

In response to mounting concerns regarding the increased number of cases of Eastern Equine 

Encephalitis (EEE), both in humans and in horses in New York over the last few years, the New York State

Senate has recently allocated funds for various activities meant to reduce the threat of EEE in people 

and in horses.

The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry has been assigned the task 

of running a vaccination program by offering $15.00 discounts to horse owners who get their horses 

vaccinated against EEE. The program is open to all horses residing in New York State.  Veterinarians who 

participate in the rebate program agree to discount their vaccination fees by $15.00 per horse. The state 

will then reimburse the veterinarian $15.00 per vaccinated horse. The vaccination must be given by the 

veterinarian or veterinary technician in order to qualify. 

The program will run from June 10, 2012 until August 31, 2012. This is a “first-come, first-served” 

program or until our funds are expended. If funds are left over after 8-31-12, we will restore the rebate 

program in early 2013. 

Any veterinarian legally able to practice in New York State can participate. Veterinarians need to fill out 

a form requesting the desired number of rebate certificates. (Only one horse per rebate certificate). The 

Rebate Request Form can be found online @ http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/AI/vet.html (look under the 

section called “Forms”) or we can fax, email or mail it to you.  Complete the request form and fax it back 

to us. Once we receive your request, we mail you the certificates along with the tax ID forms (W-9) that 

you must complete and send back with the original certificates once the horse(s) have been vaccinated. 

Complete instructions for the rebate certificates can be found on the backside of the certificates. All 

original forms must be sent back in order to receive your rebate.  No additional incurred veterinary fees 

will be paid for (i.e. – call charge, biohazard fees, etc). Once all forms are received, we will verify this and 

send you a rebate check.

If you have any questions, please email or call the Division of Animal Industry at dai@agriculture.ny.gov

or 518-457-3502.

EEE Vaccination Rebate Program for NY HorsesIn response to mounting concerns regarding the increased number of cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), both in humans and in horses in New York over the last few years, the New York StateSenate has recently allocated funds for various activities meant to reduce the threat of EEE in people and in horses.The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry has been assigned the task of running a vaccination program by offering $15.00 discounts to horse owners who get their horses vaccinated against EEE. The program is open to all horses residing in New York State.  Veterinarians who participate in the rebate program agree to discount their vaccination fees by $15.00 per horse. The state will then reimburse the veterinarian $15.00 per vaccinated horse. The vaccination must be given by the veterinarian or veterinary technician in order to qualify. The program will run from June 10, 2012 until August 31, 2012. This is a “first-come, first-served” program or until our funds are expended. If funds are left over after 8-31-12, we will restore the rebate program in early 2013. Any veterinarian legally able to practice in New York State can participate. Veterinarians need to fill out a form requesting the desired number of rebate certificates. (Only one horse per rebate certificate). The Rebate Request Form can be found online @ http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/AI/vet.html (look under the section called “Forms”) or we can fax, email or mail it to you.  Complete the request form and fax it back to us. Once we receive your request, we mail you the certificates along with the tax ID forms (W-9) that you must complete and send back with the original certificates once the horse(s) have been vaccinated. Complete instructions for the rebate certificates can be found on the backside of the certificates. All original forms must be sent back in order to receive your rebate.  No additional incurred veterinary fees will be paid for (i.e. – call charge, biohazard fees, etc). Once all forms are received, we will verify this and send you a rebate check.If you have any questions, please email or call the Division of Animal Industry at dai@agriculture.ny.govor 518-457-3502.

Second confirmed case of EEE

Many of you have been asking about the need for boostering your horses this fall for EEE due to the case to the east of us.  There has been another confirmed case in Oswego County.  If you are planning to travel east, towards Syracuse, horses vaccinated for EEE prior to April 2011 will be declining in their immunity and should be boostered for EEE prior to travel.  Horses vaccinated between April and May of 2011 will have a decline in their immunity between September and October.  If more cases of EEE are identified between now and then, these horses may also need to be boostered.  We will keep an eye on the situation.  The following release contains the details

The NYS Dept of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry is reporting its second case of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis for 2011.  This will be the first case of EEE for Oswego County. Oswego County has had plenty of EEE-positive mosquito activity recorded already this summer through the NYSDOH mosquito surveillance pools.

The first 2011 Oswego County EEE case was a 4 year old grade stallion that lived at its current location (Township: Scriba) for the last 3 years. The owner admitted to never vaccinating this animal or the other 3 horses that reside on the premises. On 8/2, the owner reported the horse was acting normal. However, on 8/3, the owner noticed the stallion standing but appearing depressed. The veterinarian came out to examine the horse and found additional neurologic signs along with blindness. The owner elected to euthanize. The brain was submitted to the NYS Dept of Health’s Wadsworth Center on 8/4 for Rabies testing and arboviral testing. The brain sample was negative for Rabies virus and West Nile virus.  The other remaining horses on the property appear to be healthy and have since been vaccinated by the veterinarian.

TRF Benefit Raises About $500,000 for Retired Throughbreds

by: The Blood-Horse Staff
August 10 2011, Article # 18661

Organizers of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) gala held Aug. 7 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., said the event raised about $500,000 through ticket sales and an auction of stallion seasons and travel packages. More than 600 people attended the event, organizers said.

"It was rewarding to see the whole industry come together for this event," said Thoroughbred owner Earle Mack, who co-chaired the event. "We had tables of leading jockeys, tables of trainers, and tables of racehorse owners and breeders all united because everyone who benefits from this sport is starting to understand we have a responsibility to the horses.

"We did not solve the problem but we did restore confidence in the TRF to lead in rehabilitating, retraining, and re-educating racehorses."

During the event Mack presented owner, breeder, and racetrack operator Frank Stronach with the inaugural Earle Mack Retirement Foundation Champions' Award for his leadership in starting the first in-house retirement program at Adena Springs Farms. Each of Stronach's retired racehorses is evaluated to determine whether they should be rehabilitated or retrained.

Mack noted Stronach also partnered with horsemen at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park to establish retirement programs for horses.

"I am honored to receive this award, especially from Earle, who has been a real champion for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation," Stronach said. "Each of us has a responsibility to see that our horses are cared for after racing. When some in the sport do not meet their responsibility, then it is up to the rest of us to support programs like the TRF that serve as a safety net."

Originally posted on Bloodhorse.com.

EHV-1 Information 5-29-11

Many have heard about the current outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) and Equine Herpes Virus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in the West, in horses that recently attended a cutting horse event in Ogden, Utah from April 29th to May 8th, 2011.  Here is some important information regarding this disease and current situation:

1.  New York does not currently have any horses which attended this cutting horse event in Utah, or were exposed to any of the horses which attended this event.  Several western states, however, do have horses confirmed to have the neurologic form of this disease.  At this time, it appears that the outbreak has been contained to the western states.

2.  Equine Herpes Virus is an airborne virus which generally causes respiratory disease.  There are several strains of the virus.  EHV-4 causes respiratory disease but may also cause abortions in broodmares.  EHV-1 is a related strain, but in addition to causing respiratory disease and abortions, it can cause a neurologic disease (EHM) which generally manifests as hind end weakness progressing to recumbancy (inability to rise) and bladder paralysis.  This does not mean that every horse that contracts EHV-1 will contract the neurologic form of the disease.

3.  EHV-1 in general is a very common virus.  Because of the nature of Herpes viruses, it has the potential to lay dormant in some horses for a long period of time; they may only show signs when stressed (such as during trailering/showing). 

4.  While we do have vaccinations against this virus (this is the "Rhino" vaccine), no vaccine has a label claim against the neurologic form of the disease.   Vaccination should decrease horse-to-horse transmission of the virus in general, however, so we do believe it to be valuable even in the face of the neurologic form.

For more information about the current situation in California, go to: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html

What does this mean for your horse, now?

We do not believe that there is a large threat of this specific outbreak spreading to this area.  However, cases of EHM have been reported in the state of NY in the past year, unrelated to this outbreak.  These incidents have been controlled with good biosecurity, but we always need to be aware that this disease is out there.

We recommend, as we always have, that horses travelling to shows or being exposed to different populations of horses should be vaccinated against respiratory viruses.  The Rhino vaccination provides protection for 3 months, so should be kept current during the show/travel season. 

General biosecurity practices should always be taken, which include:

1. Limiting your horse's exposure to other (unknown) horses whenever possible.

2.  Institute an "isolation" policy for new horses on your farm - this can be a distant paddock, or a stall in a separate building.  Any new horses should remain there, isolated from the rest of your equine population for at least 3 weeks.  Temperatures should be taken twice daily, and you should monitor for nasal discharge, lethargy, or any other signs of illness.  This is ALWAYS a good practice, regardless of an outbreak situation.  You can also take this time to check a fecal on this new horse, and get it properly dewormed before turning it out with the rest of the herd.

3.  Wash hands, disinfect equipment (and trailers), change clothes and shoes when moving between horse populations (i.e. when coming home from a clinic where you rode and were exposed to lots of different horses).