New Mexico Urges Horse Owners to Vaccinate Against West Nile Virus and Equine Encephalitis
According to KRQE, State officials are urging horse owners to vaccinate their animals to help prevent cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern and Western Equine Encephalitis. This announcement from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) follows confirmation of WNV in a Union County resident by the New Mexico Department of Health.
According to a press release, both horses and humans can become infected after being bitten by mosquitoes that have contracted the virus from feeding on infected birds. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) reports that horses make up 96.9% of all nonhuman cases of WNV in mammals.
Common clinical symptoms in horses include:
- Fever
- Ataxia
- Stumbling
- Hind limb weakness
- Depression
- Anorexia
- Recumbency with the inability to rise
- Muscle tremors
- Dysphagia
- Head pressing
- Signs of colic
- Behavioral changes
- Convulsions
- Coma
The release also notes that many horses infected with WNV may not show symptoms, and some may die without showing any signs of the disease. Officials stress that if a horse exhibits abnormal behavior or neurological signs, it’s crucial to contact a veterinarian immediately.
