(KNSI) – A two-year-old Belgian colt in Todd County is the first horse to have a confirmed case of West Nile Virus in Minnesota this year.
The state Board of Animal Health notes it was not vaccinated. The colt was unable to stand up on August 26th and died later that afternoon. Reports suggest that other animals at a nearby farm had also displayed similar symptoms, but they were not confirmed to have the virus.
West Nile is transmitted through mosquitoes and birds. It can jump to horses and people through bug bites. It attacks the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation, which is potentially fatal.
The agency recommends you drain and refill drinking troughs in your stables each week, keep grass neat and mown, and remove puddles and items like tires where mosquitoes like to breed.
September is a high-risk time for West Nile Virus transmission.
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