Oregon State University has lifted a quarantine on equine patients at its large animal veterinary hospital.

The hospital announced March 4 it lifted the quarantine after no hospitalized horses developed respiratory disease from contact with a horse being treated for equine flu.

The horse, which recently arrived in Eastern Oregon from Texas, was quarantined at the hospital for 10 days.

"We chose to temporarily close the hospital to equine patients with non-emergency symptoms for a week as an added precaution, because equine influenza can spread rapidly among horses and other equines," said Keith Poulsen, an internal medicine specialist at the Lois Bate Acheson Veterinary Hospital.

"Everything is back to normal now," Poulsen said, "and the horse has returned to its home in Eastern Oregon."

Equine influenza is the most common contagious respiratory pathogen for horses. It is not transferable to humans or other animal species. Most animals that contact the disease fully recover, according to Poulsen.

--Mitch Lies