Disease Alerts

The Ohio Department of Agriculture Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) has confirmed five cases of West Nile Virus. A 4-year old Standardbred gelding showed an onset of clinical signs on 9/12/17. Signs included lethargy and moderate ataxia for 10 days, weakness in the rear limbs, and a temperature of 102 F. This gelding has responded to treatment and is improving as of 9/22/17. A 6-year old Belgian mare began showing clinical signs on 9/14/2017, which included going down in the rear legs, right rear limb more affected than the left. The mare was repeatedly up and down with a temperature of 103 F, and died spontaneously on 9/16/17, despite treatment. The horse was not vaccinated against WNV. An adult Standardbred mare was noted seeming “off” from about 9/5/17 and was first examined on 9/12/17, presenting down and unable to rise with weakness in the hind quarters.  The mare was easily agitated from a near somnolent state, and was euthanized after becoming unable to rise. The horse was not vaccinated against WNV. An 11-year old Dutch Harness Horse mare was initially found down in a pasture on 9/11/17, was unable to rise and appeared to lose control of the hind limbs. There was no response to treatment and the horse was still unable to rise on 9/12/17 or even remain in normal sitting position, wanting to lay on her side. Due to progressive clinical deterioration, she was euthanized that evening. The horse was not vaccinated against WNV. A 17-year old Standardbred mare, was first seen on 9/15/17 for low grade fever (101 F), and acute onset of ataxia in all 4 legs, muscle fasciculations in the neck and shoulders, and she did not become recumbent.  Serum collected on 9/19/17. The mare had not been vaccinated against WNV. The outcome is not known at this time (10/3/17). This brings the count of equine WNV cases to 10 in Ohio in 2017 with the following counties affected: Ashtabula (1), Geauga (1), Holmes (1), Logan (2), Tuscawaras (1), Wayne (4).