The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is continuing to monitor an outbreak of strangles which began with a 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Fayette County, Ky., according to an update posted to the Equine Disease Communication Center's website on Wednesday.
An epidemiologic investigation indicated the potential for strangles to reach a total of three facilities: the Thoroughbred Training Center, Keeneland Race Course, and Triple Diamonds Training Center on Russell Cave Road. One unnamed trainer housed horses at all three facilities.
The affected barn at Keeneland was released from quarantine last week, and the affected barn at Triple Diamonds Training Center has now been released from quarantine as well.
However, testing performed April 28 at The Thoroughbred Center identified one horse with a low level of strangles DNA present, so that barn remains under quarantine. Horses there will be sampled again later this week.
The full update from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is as follows:
“Premises 1 The Thoroughbred Center: The population of horses remaining in the affected barn at The Thoroughbred Center were sampled Friday morning, April 28th. A three (3) year old filly under the care of the single trainer with previous positive horses was found to have a low level of DNA detected and was moved to the private quarantine offsite. The remaining five (5) horses were all reported to be negative. The ten (10) horses under the care of the second trainer were also sampled on April 28th with each of these horses found to be negative. The group of negative horses remaining in the affected barn at The Thoroughbred Center will be sampled again later this week.
“Premises 3: The quarantine placed on a barn at Triple Diamonds Training Center has been released. With the population of horses housed in this barn having tested negative on three separate occasions over the last two weeks, and with daily monitoring showing no suspected illness, we can confidently release the previously imposed quarantined barn on Triple Diamonds Training Center and allow the trainer with horses remaining in this barn to resume his normal daily operations effective immediately. Horses residing in Barn one (1) are no longer under regulatory restriction and may resume their normal training activity tomorrow morning at Triple Diamonds. We will continue to closely monitor the health of these horses, requiring daily reports be made to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's Equine Operations Consultant with the Office State Veterinarian. Additionally, a two (2) year old filly that had moved from the affected barn to the private quarantine with the single trainer's other horses on April 20th was found to have an enlarged mandibular lymph node the morning of April 28th. At the time the filly was moved from premises 3 to the private quarantine, she was sampled and reported negative. The abscess was lanced late evening on April 28th with the specimen submitted for bacterial analysis. The bacterial culture did identify streptococcus equi to be present. Again, testing at the time of moving to quarantine from the barn on premises 3 provides evidence the filly was not shedding the disease-causing bacteria when relocated. We appreciate the cooperation of the horsemen and management at Three Diamonds and are pleased to announce there are no quarantines in place at Three Diamonds Training Center.
“Racing in Kentucky: Based on the epidemiologic work and our findings to date, we have made minimal adjustments to our health requirements for horses to enter Kentucky racetracks. Horses shipping to Kentucky tracks from areas not impacted continue to qualify their entry by meeting the established health requirements that includes a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) stating the examination and issuance of the certificate was done during the 72hrs preceding the horse's entry.
“Quarantined Premises: Horses moving from non-affected barns on a facility that has barns under order of quarantine issued by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture continue to be accompanied by a CVI demonstrating the examination and issuance of the certificate was completed during the same day as arrival. Veterinarians or horsemen should contact the track's stabling office or veterinarian for instruction on how to accommodate the same day CVI on horses departing during the early morning or late evening hours. In addition to Kentucky tracks, I have been made aware that other regional tracks have similar same day or 24hr CVI requirement. Veterinarians and/or trainers are responsible for ensuring their horses meet the track's defined health requirements.”
The upper respiratory disease commonly referred to as strangles is caused by Streptococcus equi subsp equi. Strangles is spread from horse to horse through direct contact. Horses can also contract the disease by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. The disease is highly infectious.
For more information go to: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/strangles.
The post Another Strangles Positive At The Thoroughbred Center; Triple Diamonds Quarantine Released appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
