Horse in Virginia Beach dies from mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis

 VIRGINIA BEACH A mosquito-borne virus has killed the state’s first horse this year, in Virginia Beach.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis was diagnosed in the 15-month-old male pony. He had not been vaccinated for the disease, said Elaine Lidholm, spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Lidholm said the horse was stabled near where Back Bay meets the Great Dismal Swamp, near the Chesapeake/Virginia Beach border. The horse was sick for two days, with a high fever and abnormal neurologic signs, she said.

The horse was euthanized Sept. 19, and a necropsy was performed to confirm the cause of death. There have been no reported cases of West Nile virus in horses so far this year, Lidholm said.

Only one horse died from each of the diseases last year, both in the summer. The diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes and can affect humans.

There is no cure for EEE, but it can be prevented in horses through vaccination. Symptoms include staggering, circling, depression, loss of appetite and sometimes fever and blindness.

For more information, contact the office of the State Veterinarian at 804-692-0601, or consult your local veterinarian.