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Sheep and West Nile?


Dawn Bailey
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Hi to all those informed sheep owners,

 

the big zoo here in Washington State is vaccinating their horses and Zebra's for WNV. I have also heard that cattle can contract the dz. Any word about sheep getting it? The news just announced that it is only a matter of time that we will be affected here.

 

Any where I can go read more about sheep and the dz? I have only read about cattle and birds.

 

all suggestions welcome.

 

thanks in advance

 

Dawn Bailey

Eatonville, WA

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This link from the CDC addresses s/s in sheep:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no5/hubalek.htm

 

West Nile does affect mammals other than man and horses. But we had quite a few birds affected here and I didn't see an increase in abortions in my flock nor did any of my friends nor have our vets recommended taking precautions with the sheep.

 

Kim

 

------------------

Black Dog Farm http://www.blackdogfarm.com

 

 

[This message has been edited by kajarrel (edited 08-25-2002).]

 

[This message has been edited by kajarrel (edited 08-26-2002).]

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Two weeks ago I asked our vet and he said we could wait until next year to vaccinate horses in our area, TX panhandle.

Two days later he called for me to come get some vaccine as he had treated four horses and one had died in these two days, about seven miles from us and all had been tested and confirmed infected with WN encephalitis.

He said that it would not affect any other animals, just birds, horses and people.

Last I heard they had some 15 or 20 horses with it and several people.

 

It may be different in your area, so you may want to ask your vets there.

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Hi Dawn, Kim and Cholla

 

Dontcha just hate peeples who answer a question with a question? Are the vaccines for WNV expensive or dangerous to the flock? I give Lyme vaccines prophlactically, but I know that the decision to vaccinate livestock is governed by a whole bunch of principles that I'm not familiar with.

 

Re: dogs and WNV. After reading the message so kindly posted here a few weeks ago, I went to home depot and bought cheap adjustable screens for my garage windows and and for the openings from the inside to the outside of the dogs' runs. I can shut them in with the screens if they are out there in the evenings. I get the sense that healthy, fit animals get this only if they are bitten multitudinous times. My old dogs wouldn't chew up the screens even though they are jammed in there and made of fresh wood. I know with a young dog or a pup, I would need to fit the screens better.

 

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Margaret

retired terrierwoman, border collie newbie

drumlins@adelphia.net

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by Margaret M Wheeler (edited 08-26-2002).]

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Just popping in again - I forgot to mention that there are quite a few articles about West Nile at the CDC website other than this one. I picked it because it specifically lists sheep. State ag cites also have similar info but it seems to me that they get their info from the CDC so you might as well go to the source.

 

Off to my chores . . .

 

Kim

 

------------------

Black Dog Farm

http://www.blackdogfarm.com

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Margaret,

 

Horses of all ages, even those that are fit and healthy, are susceptible to West Nile disease. Cases that presented to our hospital (University of Minnesota) over the last 6 weeks have ranged in age from 2 - 27 years of age. Many cases resolve with time and treatment, but severely affected horses (e.g. those that go down) often die or are euthanized. Unlike the situation in humans, these severely affected horses were NOT typically old or debilitated before they were stricken by West Nile.

 

Christie.

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Sorry, don't know about the mortality rate in fit or unhealthy animals. Here in Georgia, many many horses have been diagnosed with WN and died, ages vary from young to old. I know of one horse personally that was in extremely good physical condition that was diagnosed and died. A few horses in our area have been treated and been okay, but the majority have died. Don't know about the physical condition of those horses.

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