Horse Health - Mosquitos

That buzzing in your ear is not just a nuisance, it can also be a warning sign that mosquito season is here. The height of mosquito season is late summer to early fall. Now is the time to prepare you and your horse for a happy healthy summer.  Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Texas Commissioner of Health advises people to remember the four D’s;

• Dusk to Dawn: Stay indoors from dusk to dawn, times when those mosquitoes likely to carry the infection are most active.
• Dress: Dress in pants and long sleeves when you are outside, especially in mosquito-infested areas.
• DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide): Apply insect repellent that contains DEET. Read and follow label instructions. Spray both exposed skin and clothing with repellent.
• Drain: Get rid of standing water in your yard and neighborhood. Old tires, flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, leaky pipes and faucets, birdbaths and wading pools can be breeding sites for mosquitoes.

There are also some preventative steps to take with your horse. The Ohio State University recommends:

• House horses indoors during peak periods of mosquito activity, dusk to dawn.
• Avoid turning on lights inside the stable during the evening and overnight. Mosquitoes are attracted to lights.
• Remove all birds, including chickens, that are close to the stable.
• Look around the property periodically for dead birds, such as crows and reported to the local health department.  Use rubber gloves or a shovel for removal.
• Eliminate areas of standing water.
• Use fans on horses while in the stable to deter mosquitoes
• Don’t forget topical insect spray with mosquito repellent added.

According to the Texas Department of Sate Health Services and the Texas Department of Health 2007 has already brought its’ first case of West Nile in horses. Symptoms in humans and equine are similar. Watch for flu like symptoms, fever, headache, body aches, and in more severe cases, muscle weakness, coma and even death. Prevention is still the best medicine.

There are currently 4 vaccines available for our horse friends. Consult your veterinarian for the best approach to maintaining quality health for your horse. For more information contact the Texas Department of Health.