RALEIGH – Large animal veterinarians in North Carolina are eligible to apply for up to $25,000 in funding to help support their large animal practices.
The Large Animal Healthcare Enhancement funding opportunity is available to veterinarians who practice in one of the 70 North Carolina counties with a population of 100,000 or fewer and who spend at least 30% of their patient care providing large animal veterinary services.
The first case of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus type 2 in North Carolina was confirmed in a domestic rabbit in Dare County. RHDV2 is typically a fatal disease affecting both domestic and wild rabbit populations and is primarily found in the Southwestern United States.
RALEIGH – A backyard flock in Franklin County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). The positive sample was identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh.
This is the first confirmed positive in Franklin County and the ninth confirmed positive in North Carolina since Oct. 1. A list of domestic bird cases of HPAI in North Carolina is online at https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/veterinary/AvianInfluenza.
RALEIGH – State Veterinarian Mike Martin has granted entry into North Carolina to Santa Claus and his reindeer. This ensures that Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and yes, even Rudolph will be allowed into the state on Christmas Eve.
Reindeer are part of the cervid family that include deer, elk, moose and caribou. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides oversight of the movement of captive cervid into the state.
State veterinary officials are asking horse owners in North Carolina to watch for symptoms of a highly contagious equine disease following diagnoses of multiple horses with Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy, the neurologic disease associated with Equine Herpes Virus. Cases were confirmed Nov. 9 by the Texas Animal Health Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. Currently, there are no confirmed cases of EHV-1/EHM in North Carolina.
A turkey breeding operation in Wayne County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza. The positive sample was first identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh.
This is the first case of high path avian influenza in commercial poultry in North Carolina since January 2025. Prior to this case, North Carolina had 14 commercial flocks and 12 backyard flocks impacted by avian influenza. The latest case in Wayne County impacts 9,500 turkeys.
RALEIGH – A backyard flock in Rutherford County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). The positive sample was identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh.
This is the first confirmed positive in Rutherford County. In the last 30 days, there have been three backyard flocks with confirmed positives in North Carolina. Cases have also been confirmed in Guilford and Union counties.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging equine owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus.
“Mosquito-breeding season in North Carolina lasts from spring until the first frost and horses are at risk if not properly vaccinated,” Troxler said. “EEE is fatal 90 percent of the time in horses and WNV has a fatality rate of 30 percent. However, both diseases are preventable by vaccination.”
North Carolina poultry has been designated High Path Avian Influenza-free by the World Organization for Animal Health. This designation means that the state can resume exports and international trade for poultry products.
RALEIGH – A backyard flock in Dare County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). The positive sample was identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh. The flock has been depopulated to prevent spread of the disease.
This is the first confirmed positive in Dare County. In January, HPAI was found in two commercial turkey operations in Sampson County and a layer operation in Hyde County.