West Nile detections in southern Nevada horses serve as reminder of importance of vaccination

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) has confirmed the detection of West Nile Virus (WNV) in two horses in Clark and Nye counties. Both horses were euthanized after their conditions did not improve with treatment.  

"Two horses in southern Nevada have succumbed to symptoms of WNV," said NDA State Veterinarian Peter Mundschenk, DVM. "These sad incidents emphasize the importance of vaccinating horses against the disease." 

Vaccines for WNV and Equine Encephalitis, another mosquito-borne illness, are available for equine species. Vaccines are not available for humans. The disease cannot be passed from horse to horse, but rather, is transmitted from birds through mosquitos. This is a curable illness but can lead to death if left untreated.

Horse owners are encouraged to remove standing water around horses to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds and vaccinate their horses. Reach out to your veterinarian to get vaccinations and update vaccination schedules to protect animals.

About the Nevada Department of Agriculture

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) mission is to preserve, protect and promote Nevada's agriculture. The department has 225 dedicated employees providing services in its five divisions, Administrative Services, Animal Industry, Measurement Standards, Food and Nutrition, and Plant Health and Compliance. The department's $288 million budget facilitates regulatory and administrative work in agriculture and food manufacturing industries, protecting public and environmental health and worker safety, and providing food distribution and oversight for the United States Department of Agriculture's school and community nutrition programs.

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