Thought you might be interested in Shirley's message. It does not go
into the account of the blood testing done on 100% of the horses on the
farm. Of 33 horses (all vaccinated both last year and this), 10 showed
to have 0 immunity (30%). A bit lower than the 5% indicated by Fort
Dodge in their testings and claims. We will all continue to inoculate
and test and re-inoculate if indicated. But we should not be lulled
into a false sense of security.
The newspapers articles I’ve read concerning the Orange County horse recently diagnosed with West Nile suggest that giving horses the Fort Dodge vaccine to protect them from this virus has a 95% success rate. While this may be true, it should be noted that the infected horse was vaccinated not only this year, but last year as well. It is thought that having been vaccinated gave the horse a lighter case of the virus.
I strongly suggest the vaccine to all horse owners. I’ll continue to make sure my four horses receive it annually. However, when my veterinarian informed me that the infected horse had been vaccinated, I was compelled to have her draw blood to check the protection level of my horses. My oldest horse, a 23-year-old thoroughbred mare showed no protection from the virus. That makes my personal success rate with the vaccine 75%. My veterinarian has revaccinated my mare, and will do another blood test for the antibodies in a few weeks.
Until I know for sure she is being protected, I will be on the alert for the early warning signs. Every horse owner in the area should memorize them, whether their horse has been vaccinated or not. They include, but are not limited too:
1. Ataxia (wobbling, dragging hooves, uncoordinated movements, especially in the hind quarters, making it easy to confuse with lameness)
2. Dull expression
3. Loss of appetite
4. High fever (102 or above)
5. Muscle tremors that only encompass an area the size of a pencil eraser. The muscle tremors are usually noticed on the face, neck or shoulders. They are minute and not to be confused with large area fly-shaker muscle movement. An infected horse can have just one or all of these symptoms.
West Nile is fatal to 30% of the horses that contract it. It’s a fast moving disease that can paralyze a horse in 8 days. If treated early horses have a greater chance of surviving the virus. If you suspect your horse has any of the above symptoms, don’t wait but call your veterinarian immediately. Waiting a day can mean the difference between recovering or not.
Shirley Muenster,
Johnson, NY
Deb here, I have to wonder if these horses that are comming up '0' are not without immunity, but rather have such strong immunity their bodies are eradicating the vaccine.?.?.?