West Nile Virus Update

On September 4, 2015, our clinic confirmed a positive case of West Nile Virus (WNV) of
an unvaccinated adult horse. This is our first confirmed case in Humboldt County.
Clinical signs of WNV in horses can vary in range and severity, those most
frequently observed include:
Incoordination, especially of the hind limbs, causing stumbling and falling
Twitching of the muzzle and lower lip
Fever
Generalized weakness
Inability or trouble swallowing
Hypersensitivity to touch or sound
Convulsions
Our doctors recommend all equine be vaccinated for the West Nile Virus.
Please call us if you have any questions: Arcata 822-4885 or Fortuna 726-9262
WNV circulates in nature between birds and mosquitoes. The virus is transmitted
when a mosquito takes a blood meal from an infected bird, then feeds on a horse.
WNV is not transmitted from horse to horse.
Prevention is key to the control of this infection, by vaccination and mosquito control.
If a dead bird is found please call the California West Nile hotline at 877-968-2473.
For more information go to West Nile website at:
www.westnile.ca.gov