When winter ends, all sorts of animals emerge from hiding to enjoy the warmer weather of spring. Unfortunately, one pesky insect arrives back on the scene as well, the mosquito. These gangly bugs are known to spread West Nile Virus, a sometimes fatal disease that can infect humans and animals. West Nile Virus causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, headache, lack of appetite, muscle aches, rashes, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and vomiting in humans and animals. These symptoms can last up to one week. More severe symptoms include confusion, loss of consciousness, coma, muscle weakness, a stiff neck, or weakness in one limb.
In horses specifically, the virus normally promotes staggering, circling, depressions, a loss of appetite, and a fever. Some horses go blind when diagnosed with the virus. Almost always, a mosquito borne virus will cause the victim's brain to swell. This virus claims the lives of animals every year, with some years being particularly affected by the outbreaks. Accompanying West Nile Virus is another dangerous disease known as Eastern Equine Encephalitis. This disease has almost identical symptoms, and is also spread by mosquitos. Veterinarians have estimated that 30 percent of horses that contract West Nile Virus and 90 percent of the horses that contract EEE will not survive the illness. The virus is not contagious, but mosquitos tend to bite multiple horses and infect them with the sickness at the same time. Humans cannot catch the disease from their equine, but if your horses are infected it means that there are dangerous bugs carrying the disease nearby.
On March 31st, the first case of West Nile Virus for 2012 took the life of a horse in Pennsylvania. A veterinarian was prompted to euthanize the animal when it was apparent that the virus was fatal. To prevent this disease from affecting other horses, veterinarians suggest that owners have their livestock vaccinated against the virus. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are urging all horse owners to contact their veterinarians to get these shots, so that they can best prevent an outbreak of the disease. Last year, West Nile Virus proved dormant, and only one case was reported in Virginia, but veterinarians worry that negligence to vaccinate this year will create a sweep of the virus that could take out many horses in the state.
The vaccine is able to reduce the possibility of disease drastically. Normally, one vaccine is effective for six to twelve months, and it issued in two doses which occur 30 days apart from each other. In addition to the vaccine, vets recommend that horse owners use insect repellents and remove their equines from mosquito-infested areas when possible. Horses that are near stagnant water supplies are more prone to mosquito bites that could carry the fatal disease. Try to get rid of these stagnant puddles of water by turning over wheel barrows when not in use and cleaning out clogged rain gutters.
Dispose of tin cans plastic containers, buckets, or any other container that could hold water. Empty and refill your horses' water troughs often to avoid stagnant water. The bugs normally bite at dusk or dawn, so keep your horses from exposure during these times, or reapply repellents at this time. Another practical way to avoid these viruses is to reduce the number of birds in and around your stable area. Set up spikes on rafters in the barn so that birds will not make their nests near the horses. Normally mosquitos carry their diseases by biting a bird and then biting a horse shortly after. If you take these precautions, your horses will be at less risk to WNV and EEE.