A two-year-old horse in Livingston Parish has tested positive for both Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus.  

These are the first known cases of either virus in Louisiana this year, but it's prompted a call from Ag Commissioner Mike Strain to all Louisiana horse owners -- vaccinate your animals.  The horse in question had not been vaccinated and had to be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian.

Commissioner Strain says both viruses are spread by mosquitoes.  Symptoms include lethargy, weakness, and paralysis.  The diseases can cause inflammation and swelling of the brain and horses infected with either of them can die.

By this same date last year, Louisiana had recorded seven cases of WNV and ten cases of EEE in horses.

 

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