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Conference noted::equitation

Title:Equine Notes Conference
Notice:Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:MTADMS::COBURNIO
Created:Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2080
Total number of notes:22383

1342.0. "Equine Encephalitis outbreak" by BOOVX2::MANDILE () Fri Aug 24 1990 14:54

    This equine insefulitis (sp) has me scared stiff!
    Guess where I live?   (Middleboro, MA)
    I was at the vets last night with one of my cats,
    and he had put a local horse down with it the night
    before, and had to go check 9 horses last night!
    The spraying monday cannot come to soon for me!
    This is not fun......
    
    L-
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1342.1HEEHEE::JOHNSONFri Aug 24 1990 15:2115
	That's shocking!  Are we safe if we've given our horses
	their annual shots (including Eastern/Western insephelitis)?
	I've heard on the news about concern for "people" insephelitis but 
	I didn't realize there was concern for the equine version.
	They must be different, right?    

	All my horses are getting new Rhino shots tonight, since there
	were a number of cases near me in Southern NH.

	Also, somewhere I'd heard there'd been at least one case
	of Potomac Fever in NE (MA I think).  Does anyone know
	anything more about this?? 
	
	Melinda
1342.3Vaccinate!HOTDOG::OTOOLEFri Aug 24 1990 16:079
    I live in the Millbury Ma area and Tufts reports increased cases. 
    There is no cure.  Either the horse comes out of it or dies.  Most
    cases if not all die.  The only protection is vaccination in the Spring
    and again 3 months later.  For only $8.50 a shot it's certainly worth
    it.  Don't depend on spraying.  My vet from Tufts reports cases as near
    as Tauntan Ma.
    
    stephanie
    
1342.4Boy, I'm a shakin' dude......BOOVX1::MANDILEMon Aug 27 1990 13:3722
    I called the vet this morning, to make sure my horse had been
    vaccinated.  Yes, he had, but a case has been reported where
    a vaccinated horse contracted it.
    My vet recommended a booster, so he's coming tomorrow morning.
    He had to put down a horse within a 1/2 mile of my house!!!
    Now I am paranoid.....The spraying should be at my house this
    afternoon, 6-7pm.   I'm thinking of buying some of the stuff
    and spraying again, and again, and again......
    My neighbor is bringing over her horse for a booster, too. 
    I called her and she was going to call me for the same thing.
    
    (Re .1 (?) - booster: it's not the Rhino you want, thats for
    the flu....you want the Eastern Equine Encephalitis vaccination.
    This comes as a combined Western/Eastern mixture.  But, the Rhino
    booster is a good thing to have, too.  Especially if you show or
    trail ride. I will be getting that also as I will be with groups
    of horses next month.)
     
    Sorry for the rambling, but I am a little rattled by the closeness
    of this....
    
    L-
1342.5SHARE::HOWLANDMon Aug 27 1990 14:3820
    be careful about over doing the spraying.  Too much could harm the
    horse as well as the surrounding wildlife. Mosquitoes usually like damp
    areas, if your horse is pastured on short grass in an open area,
    chances are that he will not be getting a lot of mosquitoes around him.
    
    For the barn at night, I installed a Q-Mister bug sprayer.  It cost
    roughly $30.00 and the small refiller can lasts about a month.  Every
    15 minutes it sprays some spray and it really keeps the flies and
    mosquitoes out of his stall.  A few tablespoons of applecider vinegar
    in his food helps too. (it has also been suggested by research that the
    vinegar keeps certain breeds of horses like arabians from developing
    stones.  The stones are really crystals that dissolve in an acidic
    environment.  The vinegar keeps the system slightly acid) 
    
    As for the horeses dying despite vaccination, they probably did not
    develop a titer to the vaccine.  This can happen, but how one knows if
    the vaccine took would probably cost some bucks for the testing.
    
    stephanie
    
1342.6DASXPS::LCOBURNIf it works, break it.Fri Aug 31 1990 18:0425
             <<< DELNI::WORK$01:[NOTES$LIBRARY]EQUITATION.NOTE;2 >>>
                          -< Equine Notes Conference >-
================================================================================
Note 1352.0              Enjoying it while it lasts....               No replies
BOOVX2::MANDILE                                      18 lines  31-AUG-1990 12:55
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Well, it's been since Monday that they sprayed for
    the Encephalitis Mosquitos.  
    It's unbelievable what 3 little oz's of chemical
    can do when sprayed by plane.
                                 
    No mosquito's, flys, gnats, deerflys, horseflys
    or biting insects of any kind have been out.
    The moths and the crickets are still around.
    So are the spiders.
    I've (& horse) have been out at 8-9:00pm with 
    no problems.  The horse doesn't even swish his
    tail.  What a pleasure to ride or work around the
    barn without swatting every second or so.
           
    L-
                       
                          
    
1342.7Booster if spring shots > 6 monthsSTNDUP::LMCCROSSANTime out for a hot fudge sundaeWed Sep 05 1990 12:5810
A recent Chronicle of the Horse had an article which recommends that
horses in Mass and surrounding states get a fall encephalitis booster, if the
spring shots were given more than 6 months previous (ie. prior to about
mid-April). When I contacted local vets in the area, they suggested the same
thing so, even though I'm in northern Mass, I had the vet out yesterday to give
a fall encephalitis/tetanus booster.

As one of the replies mentioned, its a small investment with potentially a large
savings...

1342.8How do you know? USMFG::NROSTANZOWed Sep 05 1990 14:2210
    
    Does anyone know what the early signs of this disease is with Horse
    and Person?   I keep hearing so much about it, yet not how it
    progresses....  How long do you have to get your horse medical
    attention, even with the slip odds of recovery?  
    
    How many cases in humans have been reported?   Does this effect
    any other animals, say deer etc? 
    
    
1342.9I'll post the EEE description tomorrow..BOOVX1::MANDILEWed Sep 05 1990 19:359
    Re .8 - Only one person has been confirmed to have
    EEE here in Mass.  That is the 7 yr old boy from Marshfield, MA.
    
    I have this vet handbook that lists the definitions, details,
    cures and treatment of everything ever related to horse diseases,
    viruses, injurys, etc.  I'll try to remember to bring it in so
    I can post what it says.  This book is a valuable tool.
    
    L- 
1342.10"EEE" from BIRDSLUDWIG::ROCKTue Sep 11 1990 15:1625
    Everyone has talked about the mosquitos like they are the real
    problem....
    
    "EEE" is carried by BIRDS.....it is the infected birds that are
    then bitten by the mosquitos and then spread onto the horses 
    and people.
    
    The spraying helps until the next group of mosquitos are born and
    they bit the infected BIRD or BIRDS and the cycle goes all over
    again.
    
    I do not know how the BIRDS get it to begin with but it is a shame
    that their isn't a way to stop it before they get infected.
    
    It is a very good idea to vaccinate your animals early in the spring
    and then 6 months later....I have my animals done in March before
    the bitting bugs are out and again in July...the height of the 
    mosquito season.
    
    I was on the south shore one night helping my friend (she is a vet)
    with a sick horse...NOT "EEE"...and the plans went over spraying.
    I wish they would spray all of MASS. we have a large swam behind
    us and you can imagine the mosquitoes that come out of there.
    
    tr
1342.11Outbreak of EASTERN/WESTERN S.S.LUDWIG::ROCKMon Aug 12 1991 13:4227
    Hi everyone,
    
    well it is confirmed that there was a horse that died last week or so
    of (spelling) enshilitis Eastern/Western sleeping sickness. the state
    has been testing the mosquites in the area and they are coming up 
    positive with it. 
    
    I wish they could find the stinking birds that have it!!!!
    
    Anyways it is right now in the Westboro/Hopkington area. 
    
    People should be very carefull and cover up and wear bug spray and
    the horses are being recommended to get boosters for the EEE/WEE shots.
    
    Granted, the manufactur of the drugs say this is a yearly shoot...they 
    too recommend reboostering of animals in areas that are postive with
    this problem every six months.
    
    The horse that died was in westboro, Mass. and it had not been
    vaccinated. No other cases I am aware of at this time. 
    
    It is nice having a friend for a vet.
    
    terry
    
    
    
1342.12Thanks for the info......ISLNDS::ROSTANZOMon Aug 12 1991 14:317
    
    They were just telling us on tv the other week that they haven't seen
    any other cases this year.... and the mosquitoes were dying out due to
    the weather we have been having..........
    
    Thanks....
    
1342.13MPO::ROBINSONnow, what was I doing...?Mon Aug 12 1991 15:437
    
    	I heard there were two horses on Denny St in Westboro who 
    	died within days of each other. Cedar Swamp was tested and
    	there were mosquitoes carrying it. 
    
    	Sherry
    
1342.14Boosters are best protectionDEMON::MURPHYFri Aug 16 1991 15:517
    .11  Gee, Terry, I don't think we should blame the poor birds if they
         are unfortunate enough to be carrying this disease.  The blame falls on
         folks who don't immunize their horses.  You can believe mine has her
         boosters annually for everything, including rabies.
    
    Pat
    
1342.15First 1993 MosquitoA1VAX::GUNNI couldn't possibly commentFri Aug 20 1993 14:097
    I heard on the radio this morning that the first (of the 1993 season)
    mosquito carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been found in
    Kingston, in south east Massachusetts. The Massachusetts State Health
    Authorities monitor the mosquito population looking for the disease.
    This means that within the next month it is likely that we will hear of
    an outbreak somewhere in this region. The usual precautions are
    recommended. No mention of aerial spraying.