An outbreak of an equine herpes virus has struck horses owned by the UW-Madison Hoofers riding club, imposing a quarantine on a barn owned by the organization, according to the Capital Times.
UW-Madison animal experts euthanized two Hoofers horses Feb. 7 and 10, after they supposedly contracted the virus.
Ten other horses housed in the barn, located in the Hoofers Equestrian Center near Belleville, Wis., have contracted fevers.
According to UW-Madison professor of veterinary medicine Peter Vanderloo, the virus can attack the horse's respiratory or nervous system and the latter is much more dangerous to the animal. The neurological strain affects the brain and can render horses unable to stand, posing several other health problems.
'It's really hard to deal with an animal that's that big and it's down. A lot of times, the more humane thing is to euthanize them if their prognosis is not very good,' he said.
Vanderloo said both strains of the virus have been detected in the United States.
Vanderloo said the virus effects only horses and therefore it is highly likely the Hoofers horses were infected by others of their kind.
The two horses were admitted to the UW-Madison Veterinary School after they fell ill and were euthanized there.
It was reported officials will lift the quarantine when no more horses exhibit symptoms 21 days after the last horse's fever has peaked, which occurred last Thursday.
