The Southwest Voice

All > Columnists > Pets > A Vet's Voice
Critter Corner: First case of equine West Nile
Topics:
Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 497 times
0 responses 0 comments California had its first equine West Nile Virus case confirmed positive by U.C. Davis California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in early July 2006 near Kern County in Tulare. 
West Nile is a virus that is seasonal and can sometimes be fatal to horses, birds and humans. Infection presents as a neurologic disease, the most serious manifestation of WNV infection is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
Cats and dogs are not affected by this virus, and no, you can’t get this from your horse, only from a mosquito bite.
Wild birds are the principle hosts, which means the virus is amplified in the bird population which infects mosquitoes when they take a blood meal. Mosquitoes then transmit WNV by biting horses and humans. 
I personally diagnosed the case mentioned above and unfortunately the horse died of WNV. This was a 2 1/2-year-old quarter horse stallion that was not vaccinated.
There are preventative measures you can take to protect your horses. 
First and most importantly, make sure your horse is vaccinated for WNV. If it’s your horse’s first WNV vaccine it will need its booster shot in four to six weeks and then again in six months. Horses need to be vaccinated every six months for WNV to keep them protected. If your horse has not been vaccinated, make an appointment immediately with your vet.
Second, mosquitoes that carry WNV breed in standing water, so if you eliminate the mosquito habitat you decrease the chance of being bitten by a local mosquito with WNV. 
Recommendations include eliminating containers that collect water and keeping watering devices, especially automatic waters, clean. Potential collecting sites include discarded tires, unwashed bird baths, clogged rain gutters, stagnant water buckets, wheel barrows and unused swimming pools. Improving existing drainage and maintaining basic sanitation will help decrease the prevalence of WNV. 
The Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District will provide you with mosquito fish for your water troughs and ponds that will eat mosquito larva. They can be contacted at 589-2744.
E-mail Darcie at:
darcie_heyes@yahoo.com

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation