Equine Encephalitis | PetMD

What is Equine Encephalitis?

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. In horses, there are four main viruses that cause encephalitis.

• Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEE)

• Western Equine Encephalitis Virus (WEE)

• Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE)

• West Nile Virus (WNV)

All four of these diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes and so any horse can become infected, but unvaccinated horses are most likely to become clinically ill, which is why it’s important to vaccinate your horse regularly, year after year.

EEE and WNV can also be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. EEE, WEE and WNV all occur in the United States and may be reportable diseases depending on your state. VEE has no natural reservoir in the United States and is therefore considered a foreign animal disease and is therefore reportable everywhere.

Symptoms of Equine Encephalitis

The early symptoms, listed below, can be similar to many other infections.

• heat

• Lethargy or depression

• Anorexia

Neurological signs are characteristic of encephalitis and include:

Ultimately, if symptoms become severe, these diseases can be fatal.

Causes of Equine Encephalitis

Encephalitis is mainly caused by four viruses: EEE, WEE, VEE and WNV. Wild birds and mammals act as reservoirs for the virus. Mosquitoes pick up the virus by sucking blood from infected animals and then transmit the virus to horses through their bites.

How Veterinarians Diagnose Equine Encephalitis

ELISA or PCR tests can be used on blood or spinal fluid samples to isolate viral particles and diagnose symptomatic cases.

Treatment of Equine Encephalitis

There is no cure for equine encephalitis, so treatment focuses primarily on supportive care.

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as phenylbutazone and banamine

• steroid

• Infusion

• Nutrition Supply

• Sedation for patients with irregular movements

• Sling support for unstable or paralyzed patients

Recovery and Management of Equine Encephalitis

These diseases may sound scary, but Horses that have been vaccinated against these diseases will recover without major problems. If symptoms are mild, no long-term changes to the horse’s lifestyle may be necessary. If a horse experiences severe neurological symptoms, symptoms may be prolonged and your veterinarian may advise you to stop riding and be careful when handling your horse.

Preventing Equine Encephalitis

Vaccination is the first line of defence against all these viruses: vaccinated horses are more likely to survive infection and usually suffer much milder illness.

Mosquito control is also very important in preventing equine encephalitis. This involves regularly emptying and cleaning water buckets and eliminating unused puddles.