Equine Rhinopneumonitis
(EHV-1 Abortion)

Disease Overview

A clinical syndrome or abortion storms in horses due to EHV-1.

Clinical Signs

Abortion storms on breeding farms are the most feared clinical syndrome due to EHV-1. Affected mares have generally shown no clinical signs before the abortion occurs. Most EHV-1 abortions occur in the last trimester of pregnancy They may occur up to three months after the respiratory phase of the disease, which often goes unnoticed by the owner or handler. Aborted fetuses or stillborn foals are not decomposed. Near-term foals may be born alive but succumb to fulminating pneumonia within a few days.