08/05/08 Washington West Nile

Washington West Nile. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. The West Nile virus has officially made it to Washington State. Jason Kelly with the Washington State Department of Agriculture says there were 2 reports last week. KELLY: This year we have identified the first two horses that have been infected with West Nile virus. It's a virus that is carried by mosquitoes and typically horses out in the field are bitten by those mosquitoes carrying the virus. It takes a little time for it to develop but then the owner of the animal will start noticing stiffness or weakness in the hind quarters of the animal and sometimes the horse will go down. West Nile virus is relatively new to the Northwest. KELLY: The disease started showing up in Washington in horses about 5 years ago or so. Last year we had 8 animals come down with West Nile virus, all of them in Yakima County. It's typical that we find our first horses with West Nile virus infection in August. Last year it was mid-August, this year it's right at the first of the month so we are on target for about when we'd expect to see those first horses popping up. One horse was found near Toppenish and the other around Moses Lake and unfortunately one of the horses had to be destroyed. While the number of horses in Washington that are infected is relatively small, horses in Idaho are another story. KELLY: The Pacific Northwest was among the last places in lower 48 to have West Nile virus. Just to our East and Southeast it has become a bigger problem than it is here in Washington. I know Idaho has a major West Nile virus issue. Who knows whether it's going to be as serious here in Washington but that's why we like to take a close look at what's happening with the horse population. Many things can be done to help alleviate mosquito populations including draining any standing water or discarding old tires that may hold stagnant water and become a breeding ground but Kelly says that's not the most important protection. KELLY: The best way to protect the horse from West Nile virus exposure and infection is to get your horse vaccinated. Talk to your veterinarian. Usually the best time to get that started is in the spring. There's an annual booster that's required for the vaccination to be effective. Neither of these two animals was vaccinated. If you do have any questions regarding the West Nile virus or what else you can do to prevent mosquitoes from infecting your horses, please contact your local veterinarian. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.