Horse may have West Nile virus

Rob Rooker, a field technician with the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, picks up a dead crow from an Elk Grove residence on Monday. The bird was sent to University of California, Davis, for analysis. Due to the high number of reports, many dead birds remain uncollected by health officials.

Sacramento Bee/Lezlie Sterling

 

 

by MELISSA DAUGHERTY - Staff Writer
Sacramento Bee/Lezlie Sterling

 

NELSON Veterinarian Dawn Alves spent Tuesday morning treating what she suspects is Butte County's first case of equine West Nile virus.

The unvaccinated horse, she said, was staggering and having muscle tremors two of the most prevalent signs.

"It's a very likely suspect," said Alves, who sent blood samples to a UC Davis animal laboratory.

The horse is located about six miles south of Durham, which is where Butte County's first case of West Nile was confirmed in a dead bird less than two weeks ago.

More telling, however, are the animal's surroundings. The ranch is near rice fields and has a large mosquito population. And Alves said the horse's owners have found many dead magpies on the property recently.

"We're talking 15 to 20 dead birds in two weeks," she said. "Their mosquito population must be tremendously infected."

There is no cure for the virus, so supportive care, including anti-inflammatories, is the only treatment available for the 21-year-old gelding.

"He could be as worse as he's going to get," Alves said. "Or he might go down, he might have seizures ... it just depends."

Even with treatment, the mortality rate is about 30 percent, she added.

Anyone who hasn't vaccinated their horses for West Nile should do so immediately. Alves said it's especially important because it will take six weeks for the animals to build immunity. And any horses that were given the shot this year for the first time should receive a booster.

Alves, owner of All About Equine Veterinary Services, serves Butte, Glenn and southern Tehama counties. In addition to the vaccine, she recommends spraying horses and dogs with repellents that include DEET.

Though she'd normally be doing health checks and other more routine veterinary work, Alves said this year looks to be different.

"I have a feeling we're probably going to be looking at West Nile cases," she said.