Michigan Confirms First Case of EEE in a Horse for 2017

The unvaccinated yearling Standardbred colt from Wexford County did not survive.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) reported Aug. 29 that it has received confirmation of the state’s first case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in a horse for 2017.

“The one-year-old Standardbred colt from Wexford County developed a fever and was unable to rise,” the MDARD said in a statement on its Facebook page. “The colt was not vaccinated against EEE and did die.”

In 2016 Michigan had two confirmed equine EEE cases—one in Clare County and one in Menominee County—according to USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service statistics.

A viral disease, EEE affects the central nervous system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. Clinical signs of EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring two to three days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
331 votes · 331 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!