According to a Wisconsin veterinarian, Heidi Jahnke of the Ashland Area Veterinary Clinic, a horse that died two weeks ago had Equine Encephalitis, or EEE, becoming the first confirmed case in the area.
The Wisconsin State Veterinarian issued a warning about the disease last month, urging vaccinations and booster shots for horses. Cases have also been confirmed in Price and Taylor counties this year. The last major outbreak of EEE was in 2001 when 69 cases were confirmed statewide.
EEE can infect humans, though such cases are rare. The virus is not transmitted between animals or between animals and humans. Symptoms in horses include depression, loss of appetite, drooping eyelids and lower lip, aimless wandering and circling, blindness and sometimes paralysis.
Jahnke said a hot and humid summer has allowed mosquitoes to thrive, increasing the risk of EEE. Along with giving vaccinations, horse owners should take steps to protect their horses from mosquitoes. The Wisconsin State Veterinarian recommends keeping animals inside barns if possible from dusk through dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
The disease has a 90 percent fatality rate.