The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that an unvaccinated gelding in Marquette County has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). It is the state’s first confirmed case of WNV in a horse this year. In 2023, DATCP documented five cases of WNV in horses; access an online map of the 2023 cases.
Symptoms of WNV in horses include fever, loss of coordination, 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, and it is fatal in 30-40% of horses showing signs of illness.
