NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Two mosquito-borne viral diseases have been detected in horses right here in Middle Tennessee. Now, veterinarians are urging horse owners to take action.

"It's present, but I wouldn't say we have it every year," Dr. Elise Jones, owner and veterinarian at Stable and Stock Veterinary Services, said.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture reported that one horse tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Bedford County and another for West Nile Virus in Sumner County.

"All of these are all neurological diseases," Jones explained.

EEE, sometimes called the "sleeping sickness," and West Nile Virus can cause the brain and spinal cord to swell.

According to the University of Tennessee, up to 90% of horses infected with EEE die. For West Nile Virus, younger or older horses face a 35 to 45% mortality rate.

"These are not kind diseases to the animals," the co-owner and veterinarian at Tennessee Equine Hospital North, Dr. Matt Lovell, said. "They do suffer when they have them, and they are often put down in the end."

However, both can be prevented with a vaccine.

"My recommendation to clients is get your horses vaccinated," Jones said. "Most of those can be done for less than $100." 

Experts also recommend limiting mosquito risk by removing standing water; using repellants; and watching for symptoms like fever, weakness, and neurological changes.

"In Tennessee, we have waterways everywhere, so any stagnant pond could potentially be [prone to] mosquito growth, so you are better off, like I said, to vaccinate," Jones said.

"Don't have your horses out at dusk and dawn when the mosquitoes are the highest," Lovell added.

"You're better, like I said, to vaccinate because even if you can take care of it on your property, your next-door neighbor, somebody a mile down the road, mosquitoes and flies can travel large distances," Jones said.

If a horse gets West Nile Virus, you don't have to worry about catching it from the animal. The real threat comes from a bite from the mosquito still in the area.

"The same mosquito that bites that horse could bite you," Lovell explained, "and again, in the human population, we have a lot of natural immunity now, but it still doesn't mean you should risk exposure unnecessarily to mosquitoes and biting insects."

The same steps that protect horses also help humans avoid mosquitoes.

Both doctors told News 2 that vaccines are needed once a year and could save your horse's life.

"Horses are pretty simple: it's vaccinate them, deworm them, and have your blood draw done," Jones concluded.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/confirmed-cases-of-mosquito-borne-virus-found-in-2-middle-tn-horses/