03/21/05 Horse owners urged to vaccinate for WNV

With the warm, mild winter and an early start to spring many bugs and insects are coming to life in parts of southern Idaho. If the warm weather continues through spring it may not be long before mosquitoes begin to appear. That's why a veterinarian with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture is calling on horse owners to have their animals vaccinated against West Nile Virus. Doctor Marilyn Siminich says there's no reason to believe that spread of West Nile virus will subside. SIMINICH "Most of the products that are available recommend two injections three to five weeks apart the first time they ever see the vaccine. Usually if they were appropriately vaccinated in the past whether last year or the year before they'd just be needing a booster this year, like one catch up shot." Even though Idaho has had a relatively small number of infected animals, nationwide there were about 15 thousand West Nile Virus cases in horses in 2002. Mostly because of vaccinations hat figure was cut to just over 46 hundred in 2003 but Siminich says don't be lulled into complacency by those numbers. SIMINICH "No matter what disease we're talking about, no matter what critter, whether it's a human, cow or dog, or what vaccination is an aid to the prevention of disease and if you want to take the risk of not doing it then that's up to you. However you veterinarian can help you decide if you critter is an appropriate individual to receive a vaccine or to skip it." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott