Horse owners in the 100 Mile House area are not especially concerned about their animals being infected with West Nile virus – after it was found in two horses in the Cache Creek area a few weeks ago – says the South Cariboo chapter chair of the Back Country Horsemen Society of BC.
"I don't think there's any panic right now," says Peter Reid, a 103 Mile resident.
Muscle tremors, weakness in the hind legs, fever, and the inability to stand are clinical signs in horses of West Nile, which is spread by mosquitoes.
"British Columbia has been fortunate in the past few years as it has not seen West Nile cases, even though the virus has been active in all the western provinces and [United] States," according an Aug. 25 news release from the Canadian Medical Veterinary Association (CMVA).
Veterinarians strongly recommend an annual vaccination and that horse owners reduce the mosquito populations around barn and pasture areas, and avoid having horses out when mosquitoes are active.
While most infected people will never know they've had the disease, there is no certainty a horse will survive acute infection without a vaccination, and horses that do survive may be left with long-term muscle weakness.
Reid says he did have his horses vaccinated during a West Nile scare about 10 years ago, but hasn't since the most recent discovery.
The amount of travelling owners do with their animals should factor into the concern of spreading the disease, he notes.
"I think people have to review their own situations. Are their horses going to shows and that kind of stuff? Yea, maybe they want to vaccinate for West Nile virus.
"But, if you're just a local rider that goes out on your own trails? They have to make up their own mind."
The Back Country Horsemen Society of BC is a province-wide organization that consists of more than 700 members in 17 regional chapters. The society focuses on safety for horses and riders, environmental stewardship, trail building and maintenance.