Health & Safety

10 Plants Toxic to Horses

A list of plants commonly found and also highly toxic to horses.

Biosecurity: Your Role in Protecting Oregon's Livestock

Protect yourself and protect the well-being of the animals in your care by providing the first line of defense—biosecurity.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a progressive neurologic disease of cows. A case was diagnosed in May 2023 in a five-year-old or older beef cow at a slaughter plant in South Carolina. This animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or to human health in the United States.

Equine Herpes Virus-1

Horses of any age that are carriers of EHV-1 do not show any external signs of disease when the virus is in a latent form. It is important to make sure horses are monitored closely and any horses that may seem ill stay home. The virus can be reactivated during times of stress, such as strenuous exercise, long-distance transport, exhibition/showing of the animal, or at weaning.

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis, more commonly known as EPM, is a rare disease that attacks the nervous system of horses.

Johne’s Disease

Johne’s (pronounced “Yo-nees”) disease is a chronic, contagious bacterial disease that affects the small intestine of ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, antelope and bison. All ruminants are susceptible to Johne’s disease.

Laminitis

Laminitis is the inflammation of the sensitive laminae of a horse's foot resulting from the disruption of blood flow to the foot. It is a serious and painful systemic disease; the complications of laminitis may result in the horse needing to be euthanized.

Pigeon Fever

Although rarely fatal, pigeon fever is bacterial disease that affects horses and ruminants. The disease is seasonal, with peak incidence in the dry/fall months, and the incidence fluctuates from year to year within a site.

Recalls & Warnings

We publish information about animal drug and food recalls.

Reporting Adverse Events with Animal Drugs or Devices

Veterinarians and animal owners are encouraged to report adverse experiences and product failures to the government agency that regulates the product. Owners are encouraged to contact their veterinarian if their pet or other animal experiences an adverse reaction to a medication or animal device.