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Mahoning Valley Quarantine 11/26/24

From the Office of State Veterinarian: 11/26/24


We received information late yesterday (Mon 11/25) that results of testing confirmed a diagnosis of strangles in a horse stabled in Barn 4 at Mahoning Valley Race Course. The horse was reported as presenting on Thursday 11/21 with a 103f fever and cough. Results of the sample collected 11/21 was reported PCR S.equi positive yesterday and Barn 4 has been placed under quarantine.

 

Through conversation with Mahoning officials earlier this morning, my understanding is a number of horses in the barn were this morning febrile, with some horses presenting with enlarged submandibular lymph nodes. There are approximately 75 horses stabled in Barn 4. I have been advised that nasal pharyngeal swabs were collected earlier today on each horse remaining in Barn 4 with the samples being submitted for PCR testing. The positive horse was removed on Thursday and remains isolated offsite.

 

Movement To/From Mahoning:

Mahoning Valley is continuing to allow movement of horses onto the track for race/return with ship-ins being stabled in the Mahoning Receiving Barn.

KY Horsemen shipping to Mahoning Valley for race and return should be mindful of the disease event and understand the status of race/return could change without notice and the quarantine area could be expanded by Mahoning.

 

Also, with Barn 4 being the only barn under quarantine, movement off the Mahoning Valley grounds is being allowed. We continue to gather more factual information and should have a better understanding of the disease event as new information is learned and results of the samples collected today are made available. 

 

Based on the information we have at this time, I am discouraging KY tracks/training facilities from accepting horses from trainers requesting stalls to relocate from Mahoning at this time.

Again, we will continue to keep you updated as new developments occur and when the results of the testing on samples collected earlier today are made available.


Rusty

E.S. Rusty Ford

Equine Operations Consultant

Office State Veterinarian

KY Department Agriculture

502/782-5924

 

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