1. Indiana Declares HPAI-free Status
Indiana State Board of Animal Health
August 13, 2026
As of August 13, Indiana may declare freedom from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This designation, relative to standards set forth by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), eases export restrictions and international trade barriers for Indiana poultry and poultry products.
Poultry owners should note that HPAI-free status is NOT an "all clear" or an indication that the risk of the disease is over in Indiana or the United States. Owners of all flocks, large and small, need to remain vigilant in biosecurity and in preventing the introduction of the virus. The influenza virus is still active throughout parts of the United States. HPAI has been identified in poultry on 2,236 premises in all 50 states and Puerto Rico since February 2022. Wild birds infected with HPAI have been found from coast to coast in various species, including waterfowl (ducks, geese, swans), raptors (eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures), shorebirds, seabirds, and other species commonly found in Indiana. Steps should be taken to minimize wild bird exposure to poultry as much as possible. Furthermore, in March 2024, the USDA confirmed the first detection of HPAI in a Texas dairy herd. The total confirmed detections in domestic livestock-almost exclusively dairy cattle-now include 1,173 premises in 20 states. HPAI has also been found in several other species of wild and captive mammals across the country.
The first HPAI case of the 2022-2025 incident in Indiana-and the nation-was confirmed in early February 2022 in a Dubois County turkey flock. Indiana has had 200 flocks test positive for HPAI in 26 counties. Of those 200 cases, 72 were diagnosed in 2026. Indiana has not diagnosed a case of HPAI in livestock.
All control areas and surveillance zones have been released, and most farms have been cleared to restock. Under WOAH guidelines, HPAI-free status can be declared for a state or region after the disease has been eliminated on all affected farms and no new infections are detected in a subsequent 28-day waiting period.
2. Anthrax Confirmed in an Edwards County Goat [TX]
TAHC News Release
August 13, 2026
AUSTIN, TX - Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) o?cials received con?rmation of anthrax in a Spanish
goat on an Edwards County premises on August 12, 2026. This is the ?rst con?rmed case in Edwards County and
second reported case of anthrax in Texas this year.
The premises is located in the north west corner of Edwards County south of Sonora, Texas and has been
quarantined. TAHC rules require proper disposal of a?ected carcasses on the premises prior to release of the
quarantine.
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide
distribution, including certain parts of Texas. Anthrax cases in Texas are most often found in a triangular area
bound by the towns of Uvalde, Ozona, and Eagle Pass. This case falls within this triangle.
"With the weather we've experienced in Texas this year, in areas where anthrax has historically been found, we
encourage monitoring and vaccinating susceptible animals," said Dr. Bud Dinges, TAHC state veterinarian and
executive director. "This case is a great reminder that the disease has historically been found in Texas soil. A
veterinarian-client relationship can help advise on prevention for animals prior to exposure."
An increase in anthrax cases after periods of wet, cool weather, followed by hot, dry conditions is common. In
these conditions, animals ingest the odorless, colorless, and tasteless anthrax bacteria when they consume
contaminated grass and hay or by inhaling the spores. Outbreaks usually end when cooler weather arrives.
Full text: https://web.tahc.texas.gov/news/2026/2026-08-13_Anthrax_EdwardsCo.pdf
3. A DVM/PhD Student Just Cracked Part of the Genetic Code Behind Equine Pregnancy Loss
MyVetCandy.com
August 13, 2026
More than 500 veterinary students converged on Raleigh for the 2026 Veterinary Scholars Symposium, and two of them walked away with research awards for work that reaches well past the barn and the exam room.
Every year, a version of the same conversation happens in exam rooms and breeding barns across the country. A horse loses a pregnancy early, and nobody can say exactly why. Isha Chauhan wants to change that.
Ishe Chauhan, a DVM/PhD student at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, just received the 2026 Boehringer Ingelheim Research Award for Veterinary Students for a genome-wide association study on early equine pregnancy loss. Working with more than 400 samples, she identified mutations in key developmental genes that may be contributing to early pregnancy failure in horses. The goal is a preimplantation and prenatal screening tool that could give breeders and veterinarians a real answer before a pregnancy fails, not just an explanation after it does. Her findings may also carry weight beyond the barn, adding to the broader scientific understanding of pregnancy loss in human medicine.
Chauhan was one of two researchers recognized at the 2026 Veterinary Scholars Symposium, held August 6 through 8 in Raleigh, North Carolina. More than 500 veterinary students, researchers, and industry leaders from over three dozen veterinary schools showed up for what has become one of the field's biggest gatherings of emerging scientific talent. The symposium is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and organized by the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, and it marks the culmination of the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program, a research fellowship that has been running for nearly 40 years.
4. Oregon Horse Tests Positive for Pigeon Fever; Texas Horse Tests Positive for EIA
Oregon Horse Tests Positive for Pigeon Fever
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
August 13, 2026
One horse in Deschutes County, Oregon, has tested positive for pigeon fever, according to the State Department of Agriculture. One additional horse is suspected to be positive, and 16 horses have been exposed.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1146524/oregon-horse-tests-positive-for-pigeon-fever-2/
Texas Horse Tests Positive for EIA
EDCC Health Watch
Equus Magazine
August 13, 2026
According to the Texas Animal Health Commission, one horse in Victoria County has tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA). The horse was euthanized, and the facility was placed under quarantine on June 17.
Full text: https://equusmagazine.com/news/edcc-health-watch/texas-horse-tests-positive-for-eia-2
5. FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Drug to Treat New World Screwworm in Dogs and Puppies
FDA Press Release
August 13, 2026
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Simparica TRIO (sarolaner, moxidectin, and pyrantel chewable tablets) for the treatment of New World screwworm (NWS) infestations (myiasis) in dogs and puppies.
Currently, most dogs in the U.S. are at low risk of NWS exposure due to their geographic location. However, dogs that live in, travel to, or return from areas where NWS infestations have been identified by state or federal animal health officials, as well as certain countries south of the U.S. border, should be closely monitored for signs of infestation, such as visible maggots or foul odors in wounds or body openings (eyes, ears, nose, mouth). Seek immediate veterinary care for infested dogs.
For up-to-date U.S. case information, see the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dashboard of Confirmed Detections of New World Screwworm. At present, NWS has only been detected in specific areas of Texas and New Mexico.
"The FDA continues to authorize products to give veterinarians and pet owners multiple treatment options, in the unlikely event animals under their care become infested with New World screwworm," said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, J.D. "To date, the U.S. has been successful in containing the spread of NWS. We are hopeful it will remain that way, and by authorizing products like this, the U.S. will be ready if the need arises."
Full text: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFDA/bulletins/424d273
6. Australia to vaccinate vulnerable native birds against bird flu [edited]
By Reuters
August 11, 2026
SYDNEY - Australia will soon begin vaccinating its vulnerable native birds against the deadly H5N1 bird flu as the virus spreads more widely after first being detected in the country in June, the government said on Tuesday.
The vaccine rollout will begin in the "coming days and weeks", with an initial focus on priority species in captivity, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told reporters in Canberra.
Australia reported its first mass seabird deaths from avian influenza last week, marking an escalation of an outbreak ?that began after the virus was first detected in migratory seabirds before spreading to native species last month.