West nile virus pets

The short answer, no. When it comes to getting a meal, a mosquito does not discriminate too much as far where it chooses to get some blood from, whether that be a human or your cute dog or cat back at home. While humans can get sick from the virus, there is no evidence to support that dogs or cats can get seriously sick from the virus.

Doctor Sonja Swiger, a specialist in pest management for companion animals and public health has dealt with and studied the West Nile Virus for years. So if you happen to have a pet horse, there is a risk of them falling ill from the West Nile Virus, but more good news, there is a vaccine available to horses. Viral infection such as WNV can lead to encephalitis inflammation of the brain or meningitis inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord in animal companions and pet owners alike.

In some cases, febrile illness fever may be noticeable among the symptoms, and the range of signs that may manifest in animals includes weakness, trembling, head tremors, inability to fly or walk, and inattention. For horses, however, WNV does pose a much more virulent and lethal threat. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners , horses represent Equine WNV complications range from debilitating to lethal.

Fortunately, an equine vaccine is available, and Hamer recommends that owners vaccinate their hoofed friends each spring, before the insect season begins. Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms.

About 1 out of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of WNV by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.