The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that an unvaccinated 9-year-old crossbred Belgian/Standardbred gelding in Crawford County has died after contracting West Nile Virus (WNV). It is the state’s first confirmed case of WNV in a horse since 2018.
WNV symptoms in horses include fever, incoordination, hind-end weakness, depression, loss of appetite, muscle tremors, teeth grinding, inability to swallow, head pressing, excessive sweating, and going down with an inability to rise. The disease can cause brain inflammation in horses and people; it is fatal in 30% to 40% of horses showing signs of illness.