Does EHV Affect Other Animals? Here’s the Clarifying Science

EHV is species-specific.
Humans cannot get sick from it. Dogs, cats, cattle, and wildlife are not biologically susceptible.

However—there’s an important catch:

Humans can carry the virus between horses.

Not in their bloodstream, but on:

• Hands
• Clothing
• Jackets
• Boots
• Grooming tools they touch

This “mechanical transmission” is a major driver of multi-state outbreaks. A person leaving one infected barn can unknowingly bring the virus to the next.

Donkeys, mules, ponies, and zebras can get EHV, but horses remain the primary risk group.