08/21/2024
VERY IMPORTANT Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is in our area and it is preventable if your horse received the vaccination. There is no treatment for EEE and it has a 95% fatality rate. Death will occur within 2-3 days of onset of clinical signs. If your horse received the CORE Vaccine from our clinic this year (2024) that vaccine combination DOES include the EEE. Or if your horse got WE or EWT it is also in these combination vaccines. If you are unsure of your horse vaccine status, just give us a call and we can check for you. This disease is carried by mosquitos, so it does not matter if your horse leaves your property or not. ALL horses should be vaccinated for this.
There have been multiple positive cases of EEE in NYS and other states this summer.
All of these horses that were infected were unvaccinated or undervaccinated.
EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes and is nicknamed the "sleeping sickness." It is a viral disease that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord "encephalitis."
This disease is not new to the area. Each year there are positive horses, almost every case being unvaccinated. There were 9 cases of EEE and 5 cases of west nile virus recorded in horses in 2023.
It is VERY important to make sure your horses are up to date on their core vaccinations BEFORE mosquito season. This disease is more prevalent in late summer and early fall. Horses that have been vaccinated within the last year should have adequate protection, however if it has been greater than 6 months horse can be have an additional for additional caution. There are also positive cases of West Nile in the area, but they are less fatal than EEE (up to 40%).
Symptoms include:
Anorexia + Depression
High Fever
Lethargy + Drowsiness
Acute onset of neurologic signs - ataxia, tremors of head and neck, head tilt, droopy lip, convulsions, recumbent/paralysis
There is no treatment for EEE and it has a 95% fatality rate.
Death will occur within 2-3 days of onset of clinical signs.
Prevention:
Vaccination
Mosquito control
- Removing any unnecessary standing water
- Applying fly spray liberally and frequently
Other resources:
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/eastern-equine-encephalitis
The Equine Disease Communication Center is a great resource for updates on infectious diseases.
https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/EEE_DZ_Guidelines_Final_2023.pdf
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has many client resources on different diseases and disorders.
