The Montana Department of Livestock recommends the cancellation of all equine events in Flathead County.
State livestock officials are making the recommendation following multiple confirmed cases of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, or EHM in Flathead County. The agency says several horses from the region have been euthanized because they were so ill.
The Livestock Department urges local horse owners and event coordinators to limit travel that bring horses from multiple sources together through February 6th.
Equine herpesvirus-1 is a potentially serious disease that can cause respiratory or neurologic disease in affected horses. The neurologic form of disease, EHM, is often fatal.
Horse owners who have attended events in the Flathead Valley in recent weeks should monitor their animals for fever or development of any neurological signs for two weeks after their last travel.