TAYLORSVILLE – West Nile Virus this year has been found in 11 counties causing concern for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) and they want to warn equine owners to have their animals vaccinated.
Five horses in Box Elder County and three in Cache County have tested positive for West Nile Virus. The UDAF is urging all horse owners to vaccinate their animals against West Nile virus (WNV) following confirmed cases across the state.
To date, beside the horses in Cache and Box Elder counties, horses have tested positive for WNV in Weber with two; Davis, Uintah, Salt Lake, Rich, San Juan, Tooele and Summit counties all reported one case in each county.
Of the confirmed cases, 14 horses have been treated and 6 were euthanized.
“Vaccination is the most effective way to protect horses from West Nile virus,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Amanda Price. “The vaccines are safe, low cost, and provide strong protection, while treatment for infected horses can be very expensive and does not guarantee recovery.”
West Nile virus is spread primarily by mosquitos and can cause serious illness or death in unvaccinated horses.
Signs of WNV in horses may include stumbling, lack of coordination, muscle twitching, weakness, or paralysis. While some horses recover with intensive treatment, many do not survive. The disease is known to kills up to 35 percent of infected horses, and up to 40 percent of the horses that survive never fully recover.
UDAF strongly recommends that all horse owners:
- Consult their veterinarian and ensure horses are current on WNV and other recommended vaccinations.
- Take steps to reduce mosquito and bird populations around barns and pastures by removing standing water, regularly washing troughs, and using insect repellents when appropriate.
Horse owners who find WNV and other neurologic diseases in horses are required to report it to the State Veterinarian’s office.
The State Veterinarian and the Department of Health and Human Services work with local health departments, and mosquito abatement districts to target areas known to have WNV to reduce the risk to other horses and people.
For more information about equine WNV vaccination and disease prevention, please visit https://ag.utah.gov/documents/Equine-West-Nile-Encephalitis.pdf or contact your local veterinarian. For information on WNV in humans, please visit https://epi.utah.gov/west-nile-virus/.