PENN VALLEY, Calif. March 9, 2017 – Two local horses in the Penn Valley area were officially diagnosed with Equine Coronavirus by veterinarians. Testing on other horses in the immediate contact area is underway. The Equine Coronavirus is transmitted through contact with feces. There is no threat to humans but there is significant threat to horses. The mortality rate for horses is fairly low with proper diagnosis and treatment. Isolation, monitoring, and contacting a veterinarian immediately is recommended. Equine Coronavirus is extremely contagious and limiting interactions between horses and others animals outside their property is recommended. People riding on trails must be careful and people visiting other ranches or horse facilities should wash their hands and limit interactions with other animals.
Signs of Equine Coronavirus:
• lethargy
• off feed
• mopey
• dehydration
• frequently laying down
With Equine Coronavirus, horses can go from no temperature to a high fever in a very short amount of time. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you think your horse is displaying any of these symptoms. A veterinarian can perform a simple test on a fecal sample.
Persons around horses can take the following protection measures:
• hand washing and avoiding contact
• changing your clothes and shoes before and after interacting with your horses
• putting together a bleach dip for your shoes at the entrance of your barn
• cleaning hoof picks, feed buckets, and farm tools with bleach on a daily basis
• placing stall waste and horse manure that could be contaminated in a separate area
• limiting interaction between your horses and outside horses until the virus has subsided, roughly 3-4 weeks
You may contact the Nevada County Agricultural Commissioner Department at
(530) 470-2690 or agdept@co.nevada.ca.us for more information.