ORANGE COU, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has confirmed that a horse, stabled in Orange, has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV).

The unvaccinated gelding quarter horse was tested after displaying neurological symptoms. The horse is quarantined on the property and is showing signs of improvement. No other horses on the farm are showing symptoms of WNV.

VDACS encourages horse owners to speak with their veterinarians about vaccinating their horses for WNV and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). The mortality rate for WNV is 30 percent and up to 90 percent for EEE. Vaccinations are effective for six to 12 months.

Typical symptoms of mosquito-borne illness include staggering, circling, depression, loss of appetite and sometimes fever and blindness. There is no cure for either disease, but they can be prevented through vaccination. Other prevention methods include destroying standing water breeding sites for mosquitoes, use of insect repellents, and removing animals from mosquito-infested areas during peak biting times, usually dusk to dawn. Once a horse has been bitten by an infected mosquito, it may take three to ten days for signs of the disease to appear.

More information on how to control mosquitoes around horses can find more information here. Horse owners may also contact VDACS’ Office of Veterinary Services at 804.786.2483 or consult their local veterinarian.