2008 Woodie Awards
West Nile detected in rodeo team's rough stock
Tricia Anderson
Issue date: 10/12/02 Section: News
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After battling the West Nile virus for more than 48 hours, rodeo coaches were forced to make the difficult decision to put down one of their bucking horses Saturday.
Following what was a routine practice, rodeo coaches said one of the bucking horses began exhibiting symptoms of the West Nile virus Thursday evening.
"He was fine all through practice Thursday, but right after practice he was showing signs, the signs came rather quickly," Shelley Meier, rodeo coach, said.
Meier said the horse showed no signs of improving.
"I was a little surprised and disappointed, I figured the weather was too cold for mosquitoes," Meier said.
Meier and Jim Hash, assistant rodeo coach, have recommended that members of the rodeo team have their horses vaccinated.
"All other rough stock horses have been vaccinated," Meier said.
A vaccine from Fort Dodge Laboratory is under conditional license. [Approved by the FDA but hasn't been put through all of the trials.]
"The vaccination is an eight-week trial," John Smith, DVM, said.
Smith said one shot is administered and a booster is given four weeks later. Smith said it could take up to four weeks before the horse develops immunity.
"If exposed after the first shot, the horse can receive West Nile or even right after the second shot. If they are infected they are likely to have a mild case," Smith said.
Smith added that the vaccination is not 100 percent effective, citing that one-in-ten horses that are exposed come down with symptoms. Smith added that 35 percent of the horses that are weak in the hindquarters or go down either die or have to be put down.
Meier said replacing the six-year-old bucking horse, which had been bought and raised from colt, will take approximately $2,000.
A human becoming infected from a single mosquito bite is very rare.
"West Nile is spread from bird to mosquito, then to horse or human," Smith said. "The mosquito cannot bite a human or horse, then bite another horse or human and transfer the virus. Horses and humans are what they call dead-end hosts. They can not spread the virus."
Following what was a routine practice, rodeo coaches said one of the bucking horses began exhibiting symptoms of the West Nile virus Thursday evening.
"He was fine all through practice Thursday, but right after practice he was showing signs, the signs came rather quickly," Shelley Meier, rodeo coach, said.
Meier said the horse showed no signs of improving.
"I was a little surprised and disappointed, I figured the weather was too cold for mosquitoes," Meier said.
Meier and Jim Hash, assistant rodeo coach, have recommended that members of the rodeo team have their horses vaccinated.
"All other rough stock horses have been vaccinated," Meier said.
A vaccine from Fort Dodge Laboratory is under conditional license. [Approved by the FDA but hasn't been put through all of the trials.]
"The vaccination is an eight-week trial," John Smith, DVM, said.
Smith said one shot is administered and a booster is given four weeks later. Smith said it could take up to four weeks before the horse develops immunity.
"If exposed after the first shot, the horse can receive West Nile or even right after the second shot. If they are infected they are likely to have a mild case," Smith said.
Smith added that the vaccination is not 100 percent effective, citing that one-in-ten horses that are exposed come down with symptoms. Smith added that 35 percent of the horses that are weak in the hindquarters or go down either die or have to be put down.
Meier said replacing the six-year-old bucking horse, which had been bought and raised from colt, will take approximately $2,000.
A human becoming infected from a single mosquito bite is very rare.
"West Nile is spread from bird to mosquito, then to horse or human," Smith said. "The mosquito cannot bite a human or horse, then bite another horse or human and transfer the virus. Horses and humans are what they call dead-end hosts. They can not spread the virus."