Re: [RC] West Nile Virus-Heads Up - Truman Prevatt
When it hit the east about 4 years ago - there was an interview on the
UF NPR station by an immunologist that had studied this virus and how
it spreads. There seems to be a 3 year window in which is spreads
through a virigin population and after that has little impact.? UF did
some research and found many unvaccinated horses carried a titer for WN
- which means they developed it but didn't develop clinical signs. If
you look at the stats this year that pretty much seems to be the case
as there has been only one case in FL so far.
In the first two years it hit here my vet along treated 100 horses. I'm
not even sure he reported all the cases. After awhile he didn't neeed
the blood test to diagnose it and didn't think it completely fair to
charge his customers for the blood test when it wasn't necessary. If
this were a common practice the numbers in the first two years in FL
would be higher than reported.
So it seems the biggest problems is as the virus works it's way through
a virigin population.
The key vaccinated or not is to know your horse and if he is "just not
right" call your vet. If you wait till they are sick it may be too
late. Don't wait till the morning to she how he is. Don't inquire on
ridecamp and see what others say. Call your vet. The sooner you start
treatment the less likely damage will be done from the encephalitis.?
Whatever you do don't wait till the blood work comes back to start
treatment - by then he may be dead.
My vet told me that in all the cases he treated in that three year
period - about half were vaccinated half weren't. He lost four or 5
horses and about half of those were vaccinated.? The vcaccination can
help but it is not a silver bullet, knowing your horse is.
Truman
Ed & Wendy Hauser wrote:
"... was recently wondering about
the need to continually vaccinate for WNV..."
?
There is no vaccine for people, we
will just have to take our chances.?
?
I read somewhere that the virus that
is loose in USA is a more virulent mutation than the one common in
Egypt.? I think it was first seen in the Ukraine, but don't quote me on
that.
?
I do have some evidence that
continued vaccination is a good idea.? For the second year in a row MT
pelicans are dying at a game refuge.? The most recent Cannon Falls
Beacon from Cannon Falls, MN reported that a local horse vet is
treating an unvaccinated horse right now.? WNV hit that area of MN 2 or
3 years ago.
?
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser
2994 Mittower Road
Victor, MT 59875
