Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A warning from veterinarians tonight after four Ohio horses die of a mosquito-borne illness. It’s a virus that can also affect other animals and humans. It is called Eastern Equine Encephalitis or Triple E. There are no cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in our area. Four horses died of the virus in Northeastern Ohio and the people we spoke with today take steps every year to make sure this virus and a number of others don’t hit our area.
There are thousands of horses in our area and after the deadly outbreak in Ashtabula and Trumbull counties the Ohio Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian is urging horse owners around Ohio to make sure their animals are up to date on their shots. Triple E is an easily preventable disease if your horse gets the vaccine for it on a regular schedule.
Dr. Diane Troyer has been a vet for nearly two decades, “It is not a common disease but it is certainly one that is always on our radar.” Because the horses Dr. Troyer works with are all vaccinated she has never treated a case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis. She says the disease is often fatal in horses. Symptoms come on quickly and include erratic behavior, loss of coordination and seizures. If your horse gets the virus Dr. Troyer says there is not much that can be done, “The only thing you can do is supportive care. You would need to get them to an equine hospital for things like IV fluids but there is no specific medicine for it, just prevention which is the vaccine.”
Meg Howard- Fuleky is a third generation horse trainer at her family’s Fox Meadow Farm, “We have all of our horses on a strict schedule to get their shots every year to prevent any diseases”
Other animals and people who are bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus can also become seriously ill. The disease is extremely rare in people with only a couple cases in the United States each year. However, vets like Dr. Troyer warn that if the virus is showing up in horses, people should also take steps to protect themselves, “Be sure to use mosquito repellents, wear long sleeve clothing and get rid of any standing water on your property.”
The Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Department of Health will continue to monitor the deadly Northeastern Ohio outbreak.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
