The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is cautioning horse owners to vaccinate their animals against the potentially deadly West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis diseases. During the past two years approximately 40 cases of each disease have affected horses in the state.
Protecting horses against deadly diseases
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is cautioning horse owners to vaccinate their animals against the potentially deadly West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis diseases.
The diseases are often carried by birds and transferred to mosquitoes, which spread the viruses through bites to both horses and humans. While there are vaccines for horses there are, as yet, no vaccines for humans.
EEE virus attacks the central nervous system and unvaccinated horses are very susceptible to the infection. The disease appears within five days after a mosquito transmits the virus to the horse. Onset of clinical symptoms are abrupt and infected horses often die within three days.
The fatality rate is 90% or higher and an animal that survives the disease may have brain damage.
The case fatality rate for horses exhibiting clinical signs of West Nile virus infection is approximately 33%. Data have supported that 40% of horses that survive the acute illness caused by WNV still exhibit residual effects, such as gait and behavioral abnormalities, 6-months post-diagnosis.
In horses that do become clinically ill, the virus infects the central nervous system and causes symptoms of encephalitis.
In all areas it is recommended that horse owners take steps to reduce the mosquito population by eliminating standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs such as in birdbaths, water tanks and wheelbarrows.