EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS, EQUINE - USA (06): (TEXAS)

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A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 17 Jul 2009
Source: Texas Animal health Commission, press release [edited]



Horses in East Texas Die from Eastern Equine Encephalitis
---------------------------------------------------------
So far, 2 horses, one in Jasper County and the other in Newton County,
in East Texas, have died from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).
Humans also are susceptible to EEE, which causes inflammation of the
brain. The disease is spread by mosquitoes, and measures should be
taken to prevent human and animal exposure to the biting pests.

"As part of their routine health care, horses in all parts of the
state should be vaccinated to protect against dangerous mosquito-borne
diseases, including West Nile Virus, and eastern and western equine
encephalitis (EEE and WEE)," said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas' state
veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC),
the state's livestock and poultry health regulatory agency.

"It takes a week to 10 days after vaccination for the animal to
develop protective antibodies, and booster shots must be administered
as directed by the vaccine manufacturer to maintain the highest level
of protection," he said. "As effective as vaccines are, however, they
are not foolproof, and rare instances of disease can occur. Therefore,
it is essential that you protect yourself and your horses against
mosquito exposure with a repellent containing DEET."

Dr. Hillman also said other preventive measures should include
draining stagnant water, where mosquitoes can breed, and using
approved products that kill mosquito larvae in desired water sources,
such as troughs, ponds and fountains. Avoid being outside at night or
at dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, wear long sleeves when
possible, and consider sheltering horses at night.

"Contact your veterinarian immediately, if your horse acts
erratically, is confused, staggers or collapses. These are clinical
signs of an encephalitic or brain inflammation condition, and a blood
test is needed to confirm the diagnosis. With appropriate supportive
care, about half of infected horses may survive. An infected horse
will not spread the West Nile Virus, EEE or WEE to humans," said Dr.
Hillman. Although they are not regulatory diseases, these
mosquito-spread infections are reportable to the TAHC, due to their
potential to cause human illness. In 2009, a horse in Washington
County, also in East Texas, has been confirmed to have West Nile Virus.

EEE also has been reported in July 2009 in horses in Florida,
Louisiana, Missouri and Virginia.

--
Communicated by:
Carla Everett


[Other areas reporting EEE are the state of Georgia and Canada. - Mod.TG

A map showing the location of Texas is available at:

- CopyEd.EJP]

[See also:
Eastern equine enceph., equine, emus 2008 - Canada: (QC), background
20090715.2528
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (05): (MO, VA) 20090714.2507
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (04): (FL, LA) 20090709.2454
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (03): (FL) 20090701.2378
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (02): (LA) 20090627.2332
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA: (GA) 20090613.2197]
....................tg/ejp/jw
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Minn. records 1st case of Human West Nile virus of 2009

Last update: July 16, 2009 - 1:53 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota has recorded its first human case of West Nile virus of 2009, and the Health Department is reminding residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

The department said Thursday that a Stevens County woman is recovering after becoming ill with West Nile meningitis in late June.

The Health Department says Minnesota has entered the period of highest risk for West Nile virus in humans as the mosquito that spreads the virus begins feeding on people instead of birds. The high-risk period ends in September.

While residents from throughout Minnesota are at risk for getting the mosquito-born virus, the greatest risk is in counties in western and central Minnesota.

The department recommends using insect repellent, including those with DEET, at dawn and dusk.

___

On the Net:

Minnesota Department of Health: http://www.health.state.mn.us.


http://www.startribune.com/local/50957692.html?elr=KArksUUUU

Congress Has Another Chance to End Horse Slaughter - Will They Blow It Again?

Congress Has a Chance to Strike a Blow Against Horse Slaughter

By Bonnie Erbe, July 14, 2009 03:40 PM ET | US News & World Report;
Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Today is Save the Horses Day (my phrase) on Capitol Hill for equine enthusiasts nationwide. The Humane Society and Animal Welfare Institute have invited horse lovers and rescue operations from across the country to convene at the U.S. Capitol to lobby their House members and Senators to support a bill that would ban the transport of U.S. horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.

I covered the group's breakfast session in the Russell Senate Office Building where Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) addressed the crowd. She explained her life-long love of horses and why she's one of four co-authors (along with Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.)) of a bill, S-727/H.R. 503, to ban transport for horse slaughter.

Several years ago the last horse slaughterhouse in the U.S. was shuttered. But the bloody doors flew wide open at Canadian and Mexican slaughterhouses, waiting for the outflow of horses shipped from the United States. Transport of these mostly healthy, mostly young (average age: 7) horses in crowded, open trailers for days, almost always without food or water, is horrible enough. Then, they are lined up where untrained low-wage workers shoot bolts into their brains. The horses can take hours to die and the bolts frequently miss. You could not imagine a more inhumane fate.

Both groups discussed the "myth" of the unwanted horse. So-called killer buyers are making so much money off of horses' misery, they now outbid rescue groups trying to save the horses.

The bill, by the way, encourages as an alternative to transport, humane euthanization here in the U.S. by gunshot or sedation. I don't agree with that portion of the bill, but gun crazed horse killers can't complain the bill robs them of the power to kill their own horses. Unfortunately, it does not. What they lose by killing the horses themselves is the $400 fee the horse would bring at auction. And if they kill the horse legally, they usually have to pay something to dispose of the remains.

--------End of Article

Reader Comments (Click on title above to leave your own comment to this article)

Read all 2 comments about this article

Christine A Jubic aka "MuleKist" of NY
Jul 15, 2009 16:13:19 PM

We Dont Need No Stinkin Bill to End Horse Slaughter

They have an Anti-Horse Slaughter "Lobby Day" every year in Washington DC. We have been lobbying and submitting anti-horse slaughter bills since our own senator from NY (Sweeney) submitted the first one waaaay back in the mid to late 90's. There has been some form of anti-horse slaughter bill "on the hill" eversince, and you would think it would be apparent to the anti-horse slaughter camp by now that it just aint gonna happen. They WILL NOT pass our bills I dont care how much support the politicians claim to give it....horse-slaughter will never be banned through the legislative process. There is just too much $pecial Intere$t Money Involved on the Pro-slaughter side, most of it coming from BigAg and the cattlemen, the rest coming from the Equine Industry itself; The Jockey Club, the Breed associations like the AQHA, APHA, etc.

However, the GOOD NEWS is, that we dont need a bill to end horse slaughter....all we need to do is hold the Industry ACCOUNTABLE for all the "unwanted" horses they are producing & promoting the breeding of. Afterall, it is they that are claiming a "need" for horse slaughter to dispose of the horses that are no longer profitable for them to use.


Cut and paste the link below to your web browser to learn more about our "Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter" Industry Accountability Campaigns,....We are tired of asking nicely and waitin for our bills to pass,...

http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines

NOW is the time for DEMANDS!


See you in SARATOGA this summer where we will let the TB racing industry have it again !

Be there or be square!

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2009/07/14/congress-has-a-chance-to-strike-a-blow-against-horse-slaughter.html

Texas to Give Horse-Breeding Incentives but Still NO $$$ for Rescue or Retirement

Horse Incentive Fund Bill Signed by Texas Governor
by: Edited Press Release / The Horse.Com
July 02 2009, Article # 14473

All American Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses, and Appaloosas conceived by mares and stallions living in Texas during 2009 are eligible to be nominated to the new Texas Equine Incentive Fund. House Bill 1881, which was signed by Gov. Rick Perry on June 19. It becomes law Sept. 1.

The bill creates a voluntary monetary incentive program to keep Quarter, Paint, and Appaloosa horses breeding, showing, or racing in Texas.

The bill was introduced into the Texas House by Rep. Sid Miller (R) of Erath in February and garnered broad support as a nonpartisan bill that did not assess taxes on Texas residents.

Miller was the 2006 and 2007 amateur tie-down roping world champion and the 2007 reserve world champion in amateur breakaway roping at the AQHA World Championship Show, and the reserve world champion in breakaway roping at AQHA's 2008 Bayer Select World Championship Show.

The Texas Equine Incentive Fund will provide rural jobs in the state of Texas by providing incentives to raise and show horses in Texas, rather than other states. The funds for the program are raised within the horse industry and will be administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The rules and guidelines for the program will be determined by a panel representing each of the stock-horse breeds.

The equine industry was worth more than $11 billion in 1998, according to studies at Texas A&M University.

Texas is home to about 900,000 horses. More than 450,000 people are employed by or involved in the industry. More than 101,000 service-providers' jobs are affected, including veterinarians, veterinary support staff, real estate agents, trainers, farriers, horse trailer dealerships, truck dealerships, fertilizer dealers, feed stores, saddle and tack makers, western apparel stores, hay growers, hotels, and restaurants.

For more information, contact the Texas-Bred Horse Association at 214/223-4188. Watch upcoming issues of The American Quarter Horse Journal for more information on this program.


http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=14473

SOS for "Artania," Russin Troupe Show Horses Stuck in Dallas, TX

-----------
UPDATE: july 2, 2009

I have just spoke with Jan, the coordinator of this rescue, and apparenty the situation is under control. More updates as they come.
Thanks for Caring!
CJ
-------------

I don't know if you are familiar with the show Artania. It is a Russian
troup of performers here in Dallas, TX for a show. The show did not work out
and the backer pulled the plug on them - literally! They have a huge tent
set up downtown and the electricity and water have been cut off. They are
hauling in water for ninteen horses and trying to care for them. They need
someplace safe to move these horses while they reorganize. I'm guessing the
portable stalls they have belong to them but they need a sheltered space for
them with access to water. They are in shock from the whole thing and very
much need help. If you have any suggestions please let me know. Pass this
on to anyone you can think of that might help. You can call me if you can
help at 214-543-5434. Thanks, Jan

MarV/TX

Click on title above for full story;
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/063009dnmethorses.1c226e09.html

Dear Governator; MyIdea4Ca. Budget & Ca. Animals

@Schwarzenegger ; You say you are looking for ideas to make your govt "run better," ..if by that you mean getting your govt to run more efficient, fiscally, then I guess I do have a suggestion about how your state could generate more badly needed revenue, ... by enforcing existing laws. If you recall, back in the mid to late 1990s, Ca was the first state to outlaw horse-slaughter and the illegal interstate transportation for horses to slaughter. (We were so PROUD of CA. for that!) Since this law has NEVER been enforced, California Horses continue to go to slaughter. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to catch these unscrupulous people -then you will have your extra income from the heavy fines imposed,and I know there are plenty of horse rescues and sanctuaries there that are more than willing to help. Click on title above to see a petition goin around asking YOU to help stop the illegal transport of California's horses to slaughter.

Also, since you have cut funding for Californias Animal Shelters, have you considered implementing a mandatory spay and neuter law for pets? This would also help generate more revenue for your state if the state could get a portion of the proceeds. By implementing such a law, low cost S&N clinics would be necessary so would have to work in conjunction with your state veteninarians.










I am totally for a mandatory S&N Law, along with a TAX for breeders on ANY animal they bring into this world. The $$$ can be used to support NO KILL shelters & Stables. The only people against mandatory S&N are the breeders themselves, naturally. It is the REAL animal lovers of the world, the rescuers, who get to clean up the "mess" of "unwanted" animals the breeders are RESPONSIBLE for bringing into this world, and NO ONE, org., govt, or otherwise,is helping them. They are ALL overwhelmed! Mandatory S&N and a TAX on the producers is the only way to correct pet over-population or the "unwanted" animal problem. Ray Charles could see that! To make matters even worse, the American Kennel Club, (AKC) professing a desire to "share their passion" for dogs(and breeding), with mixed-breed owners, has created a registry for mutts! One dosent have to be an Einstein or a brane sturgeon to know that a reckless program like this is not about "a passion" for dogs at all, but a passion for the almighty buck! Think of the millions of dollars they will net annually in the way of registration fees and other "products and services." This is nothing but the promotion of wholesale breeding on a grand scale, with no thought to the so-called problem of pet over-population and the high cost of veteinary care. Here is a link to an article on the AKCs new "Mutt Registration" Program;

http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3810

Thanks for listening!

Christine A Jubic, Founder,
Quarter-Acre Rescue Ranch & Equine Advocacy Center







http://www.freewebs.com/mulekist
"Because We Care"

Proud LifeTime members of

Nathan Wineograds "No-Kill" Sheltering Revolution!






http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/contact.html

Extending the No-Kill Sheltering Movement to

No-Kill Stables!

VESICULAR STOMATITIS, EQUINE - USA (03): (NEW MEXICO)

A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 22 Jun 2009
Source: The Westerner [edited]



Vesicular Stomatitis-Equine
---------------------------
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has just notified
New Mexico that a horse in De Baca County has been confirmed as
positive for the New Jersey strain of vesicular stomatitis. The
premises has been under quarantine since 18 Jun 2009. No other horses
have been exhibiting signs. At this time there are no other investigations.

New Mexico has a long history of this disease. Veterinarians around
the state are well versed in reporting the disease. New Mexico will
follow USDA guidelines as given in VS memo 555.17, 30 May 2007.

Every effort will be made to assure that no animals exhibiting
symptoms will be allowed to move. Sale Barns, Race Track and Event
Veterinarians will be on notice to exercise due diligence.

[Byline: Dave Fly, D.V.M., State Veterinarian, New Mexico]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[Vesicular stomatitis is never contained by the borders of the
various affected states. It is also predictable to see other states
slam their doors shut to animals coming from areas that have had
cases of vesicular stomatitis. - Mod.TG]

[see also:
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (02): (TX) 20090616.2230
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA: (TX) 20090613.2188
2007
----
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - Belize (Cayo): OIE 20070319.0967
2006
----
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (WY)(02): OIE 20060825.2395
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (WY) 20060818.2314
2005
----
Vesicular stomatitis - USA (Western states) 20051029.3155
Vesicular stomatitis, equine & bovine - USA (NE) 20051006.2911
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA: WY, MT 20050824.2506
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (MT) 20050820.2451
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (CO) 20050809.2327
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (UT,AZ) 20050620.1733
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (AZ)(02) 20050521.1398
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (TX) 20050520.1395
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (NM)(02) 20050504.1234
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (AZ) 20050502.1218
Vesicular stomatitis, equine & bovine - USA (NM): OIE 20050430.1202
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (NM) 20050428.1184
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - Bolivia: OIE 20050228.0625
Vesicular stomatitis, equine & bovine - Belize: OIE 20050217.0531
2004
----
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (CO)(02) 20041124.3148
Vesicular stomatitis, cattle - Belize: OIE 20040925.2650
Vesicular stomatitis, cattle - Belize: OIE 20040918.2590
Vesicular stomatitis, equine, bovine - USA (multistate) (02) 20040908.2505
Vesicular stomatitis, equine, bovine - USA (multistate): CO, NM 20040828.2402
Vesicular stomatitis, equine, bovine - USA (TX, NM, CO): OIE
(03) 20040802.2110
Vesicular stomatitis, equine, bovine - USA (TX,NM,CO) (02) 20040725.2028
Vesicular stomatitis, equine, bovine - USA (TX, NM, CO) 20040708.1837
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (CO) 20040706.1813
Vesicular stomatitis, bovine - USA (TX)(05): OIE 20040706.1806
Vesicular stomatitis, equine, bovine - USA (TX, NM) 20040701.1754
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (TX, NM) 20040619.1640
Vesicular stomatitis, equine - USA (NM) 20040608.1538
Vesicular stomatitis - USA (TX) (04) 20040529.1466
Vesicular stomatitis - USA (TX) (03): OIE 20040521.1367
Vesicular stomatitis - USA (TX) (02) 20040520.1354
Vesicular stomatitis - USA (TX) 20040520.1350
Vesicular stomatitis, cattle - Bolivia (02): OIE 20040425.1151
Vesicular stomatitis, cattle - Bolivia: OIE 20040301.0628]
....................tg/ejp/dk

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ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
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information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
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