Outbreaks of any kind are a barn owner’s nightmare, which is why Merial has launched www.outbreak-alert.com, a free program used to notify horse owners and veterinarians about reports of equine diseases throughout the country.

Since June 2011, the program has provided notification of more than 500 disease reports threatening the overall health of horses and, as of October 2011, those notifications included 52 cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in seven states and 69 cases of equine West Nile Virus in 20 states. Those who sign up receive an e-mail or a text message when a disease id reported in a specific geographic area.

Visit www.outbreak-alert.com for more information.