Many parts of the United States have experienced above-average rainfall this year, with May being the wettest on record in more than a century. This trend is expected to continue through the summer and fall.
Horse receiving a vaccination
Wet weather this year has lead to a thriving mosquito population making vaccination of horses against mosquito-borne diseases more important than ever.
For equestrians, the rain can be an annoyance â creating mud in outdoor arenas, turnout pens and pastures. The rain can also attract a booming mosquito population that can transmit serious diseases, which is why it is important to make sure your horse is protected.
Mosquitoes require standing water or moist soil to breed and thrive in wet weather. They can transmit Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) and West Nile virus (WNV) to horses. These potentially deadly diseases affect the central nervous system and may present clinical signs including facial or limb paralysis, muscle twitching and impaired vision.
RECOMBITEK® rWNV-EWT helps protect your horses against these diseases, as well as tetanus toxoid.
To track WNV, EEE, WEE and other equine diseases, visit www.Outbreak-Alert.com, a free online resource created by Merial. On the site, horse owners and veterinarians can view a map of reported cases and sign up to receive free notification emails or texts when reportable diseases are confirmed in their geographic area, or in an area where they may be traveling.
*Following the initial two-dose series for unvaccinated horses.
©RECOMBITEK is a registered trademark, and â¢the Horse Head Logo is a trademark, of Merial. ©2015 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUILGN1564 (07/15)
1 Core Vaccination Guidelines. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Accessed June 10, 2015 from http://www.aaep.org/info/core-vaccination-guidelines.
2 May 2015 Was the Wettest Month on Record in the Lower 48 U.S. States. The Weather Channel. Accessed July 22, 2015, from http://www.weather.com/news/climate/news/wettest-month-on-record-united-states-may-2015.
3 Three-Month Outlooks, Official Forecasts, Aug-Sep-Oct 2015. National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Accessed July 17, 2015, from http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1.
4 Potter MF, Townsend L, Knapp FW. Mosquitoes: Practical Advice for Homeowners. University of Kentucky. Accessed July 17, 2015, from http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/entfactpdf/ef005.pdf.
5 Immunizations: Protect Your Horse Against Infectious Diseases. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Accessed July 17, 2015, from http://www.aaep.org/info/horse-health?publication=944.
6 Lord C, Connelly R. Protecting Florida Horses from Mosquitoes. University of Florida. Accessed July 17, 2015, from http://desoto.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/Insects/Protecting Florida Horses From Mosquitoes IN18100%5B1%5D.pdf.
7 Eastern Equine Encephalitis & West Nile Virus. New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed July 17, 2015, from http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DPHS/cdcs/arboviral/index.htm.
8 RECOMBITEK rWNV-EWT product label.