As we head into late summer, the West Nile virus may be at the top of the mind for horse owners.
It was first detected in the United States back in 1999.
The death rate among U.S. horses showing clinical signs ranges from 30-40%. Symptoms include a wobbly gait, lameness, and inability to stand.
The virus is mainly spread by mosquitoes, so controlling mosquitoes around barns and stables is crucial.
You can also talk to your vet about vaccination.
Recent rains are heightening the population of mosquitoes in Wisconsin, but a state entomologist says that it is not all bad news.
According to PJ Liesch, “Some good news at this point though is that I’ve been keeping an eye on some of the statistics that are being published for diseases like West Nile virus, which is probably our main mosquito-spread disease that I think of in the state and things are really pretty good at the moment in terms of the activity of that disease.”
While that is great news for horse owners, keeping the population of these pests at bay is still a good idea.
“Reducing those breeding grounds or breeding habitats around your home or around your farm, and what I’m getting at is really standing water. Now sometimes this is out of our hands. If you have a farm pond, you know, we’re just not going to drain that, but you can look in your yard and be it on a farm or in an urban area— looking for standing water, that could be a clogged gutter, that could be a low-lying spot on a tarp that’s covering some firewood, it could be a kids toy in the sandbox that fills up with a bit of water. Even something as small as the plastic bottle cap from a bottle of water. If that is on the ground upside down, it fills with water a little bit of organic material from a fallen leaf or something like that can breed a decent number of mosquitoes,” he explains.
He also recommends using FDA-registered repellents. If you are looking for a plant-based option, he says that lemon eucalyptus oil is backed by science.
