302 KAR 20:130. Treatment of contagious equine metritis

      Section 1. Definitions. As used in this administrative regulation, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

      (1) "High risk mare" is a mare that is culture positive or complement-fixation (CF) positive after being bred to an infected stallion before stallion was removed from service and treated.

      (2) "Medium risk mare" is a mare that is CF negative and culture negative but bred to an infected stallion prior to treatment.

      (3) "Infected stallion" is a stallion proven or believed to be a carrier of the CEM organism.

 

      Section 2. Sale and Movement of CEM Infected or Exposed Equines. No CEM high risk, medium risk or imported mares or stallions shall be sold or transported unless authorization from the state veterinarian is obtained prior to such sale or movement.

 

      Section 3. High risk mares quarantined under the provisions of KRS 257.030 shall not be released from quarantine until the state veterinarian certifies the treatment and conditions prescribed in this administrative regulation have been fully met and all requirements fulfilled.

      (1) Surgical removal of clitoral sinuses.

      (a) Prior to surgery a culture will be taken from the clitoral fossa.

      (b) The excised sinuses will be refrigerated and immediately submitted to a laboratory approved by the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory and the Kentucky State Veterinarian for CEM culture.

      (2) Postsurgical treatment is to be started no sooner than seven (7) days after surgery.

      (a) Mechanically clean the external genitalia with clean warm water.

      (b) Apply a chlorhexidine-containing surgical scrub liberally and using sufficient water to obtain sudsing, cleanse thoroughly paying particular attention to the clitoral fossa.

      (c) Wash with clean warm water and dry.

      (d) Apply an ointment containing not less than two-tenths (0.2) percent nitrofurazone or other medication approved by the USDA and the Kentucky State Veterinarian liberally insuring filling the clitoral fossa.

      (e) Repeat the treatment daily for five (5) consecutive days.

      (3) Posttreatment culture requirements are to be started no sooner than seven (7) days after treatment. Three (3) consecutive sets of negative cultures will be taken from the endometrium of the uterus and clitoral fossa. These cultures taken at not less than seven (7) day intervals. One (1) endometrial culture shall be taken at estrus.

      (4) Prebreeding cultures (to be taken in following year). One (1) set of cultures will be taken from the endometrium of the uterus. Three (3) sets of the clitoral fossa taken no less than at seven (7) day intervals.

      (5) A breeding permit shall be obtained from the State Veterinarian's office to allow qualifying high risk mares to enter the breeding shed. High risk mares will be prophylactically scrubbed and bred last of any group of mares bred during that session. The covering stallion will be scrubbed and treated after breeding and will remain out-of-service for a minimum of twelve (12) hours. The high risk mare and the next three (3) mares bred to the same stallion will have a CF test taken fifteen (15) to forty (40) days after the mare is bred.

      (6) High risk mares that do not conceive on the first heat period shall have an additional set of cultures taken in early estrus and submitted to the laboratory prior to cover for the subsequent heat period. Laboratory results need not be completed prior to the mare being covered.

      (7) High risk mares will not be released until they have had one (1) set of negative cultures taken after January 1st of the following year. The endometrial culture for foaling mares must be taken at not less than seven (7) days after foaling.

 

      Section 4. Medium risk mares quarantined under the provisions of KRS 257.030 shall not be released from quarantine until the state veterinarian certifies the treatment and conditions prescribed in this administrative regulation have been fully met and all requirements fulfilled.

      (1) Surgical removal of clitoral sinuses.

      (a) Prior to surgery a culture will be taken from the clitoral fossa.

      (b) The excised sinuses will be refrigerated and immediately submitted for culture to the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, Newtown Pike, Lexington, Kentucky.

      (2) Pretreatment culture requirements. Following surgery three (3) cultures from the clitoral fossa will be required. The first not less than seven (7) days following surgery and each culture taken not less than intervals of seven (7) days (the third culture would therefore be taken no sooner than day twenty-one (21) following surgery).

      (3) Treatment.

      (a) Mechanically clean the external genitalia with clean warm water.

      (b) Apply a chlorhexidine-containing surgical scrub liberally and using sufficient water to obtain sudsing, cleanse thoroughly paying particular attention to the clitoral fossa.

      (c) Wash with clean warm water and dry.

      (d) Apply an ointment containing not less than two-tenths (0.2) percent nitrofurazone or other medication approved by the USDA and the Kentucky State Veterinarian liberally insuring filling of the clitoral fossa.

      (e) Repeat the treatment daily for five (5) consecutive days.

      (4) Posttreatment culture requirements - cultures to be taken no sooner than seven (7) days after treatment and after January 1st of following year.

      (a) Foaling mares. Three (3) cultures from the clitoral fossa at not less than seven (7) day intervals will be required. One (1) endometrial culture shall be taken no less than seven (7) days after foaling. The foal will have one (1) culture; if female, from the vaginal vestibule; if male, from the prepuce.

      (b) Barren mares which qualified for breeding during current season will also have One (1) endometrial culture taken during early estrus and three (3) clitoral fossa cultures at not less than seven (7) day intervals.

      (5) A breeding permit shall be obtained from the State Veterinarian's office to allow qualifying medium risk mares to enter the breeding shed. Medium risk mares will be prophylactically scrubbed and bred last of any group of mares bred during that session. The covering stallion will be scrubbed and treated after breeding and will remain out-of-service for a minimum of twelve (12) hours. The medium risk mare and the next three (3) mares bred to the same stallion will have a CF test taken fifteen (15) to forty (40) days after the mare is bred.

 

      Section 5. Stallions quarantined under the provisions of KRS 257.030 shall not be released from quarantine until the state veterinarian certifies that the treatment and conditions prescribed in this administrative regulation have been fully met and all requirements fulfilled.

      (1) The following treatment must be carried out with the stallion in full erection and with the operator wearing disposable gloves and using disposable equipment:

      (a) Mechanically clean the external genitalia with clean warm water.

      (b) Apply a chlorhexidine-containing surgical scrub liberally and using sufficient water to obtain sudsing, cleanse thoroughly paying particular attention to the urethral fossa/sinus and the folds of the sheath.

      (c) Wash with clean warm water and dry.

      (d) Apply an ointment containing not less than two-tenths (0.2) percent nitrofurazone or other medication approved by the USDA and the Kentucky State Veterinarian liberally, insuring filling of the urethral fossa/sinus and penetration of the folds of the sheath.

      (e) Repeat the treatment daily for five (5) consecutive days.

      (2) The stallion may be returned to service twenty-four (24) hours after the final treatment. The first two (2) mares bred by the stallion must be cultured from the cervix, clitoral fossa and clitoral sinus on days two (2) and four (4) after being covered and each of the first two (2) mares must have a CF test for CEM performed on days fifteen (15) and twenty-five (25) after being covered.  (9 Ky.R. 747, eff. 1-6-83; Am. 1165, eff. 5-4-83; 21 Ky.R. 1536; eff. 1-25-95.)

Notation

      RELATES TO: KRS 257.020

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 257.030

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: Establishes the required treatment standards for equines quarantined for the purpose of controlling contagious equine metritis (CEM) within the Commonwealth.