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Mosquitoes are the hosts of many devastating diseases in our pets, including heartworms, tularemia, West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, l '. Venezuelan equine encephalitis and western equine encephalitis. All these diseases, with the exception of heartworms, can also be passed on to humans, making it a serious public health problem.
Heartworms circulate in the bloodstream of an infected animal, where they can be sucked. mosquitoes. Once the mosquito has sucked in infected blood, it can bite a new host and transfer the immature worms into the bloodstream of the new host. If the animal is not preventative and that it is bitten by an infected mosquito, the immature worm will circulate in the blood and begin to mature as an adult inside the heart. Once in the heart, they can cause muscle atrophy and cause heart dysfunction. These adult worms are then able to mate and circulate more immature worms into the bloodstream, allowing the cycle to continue.
West Nile virus is one of the most common causes of encephalitis in horses in the United States. Horses usually show signs of illness within 3 to 15 days of infection. Signs of West Nile include moderate to high fever, depression, decreased appetite, difficulty swallowing, lameness, gait abnormalities, muscle contractions, weakness, seizures, paralysis And the dead. Many horses become hypersensitive to sounds or touch. About 30 to 40% of horses infected with West Nile virus will die.
West Nile virus can also be transmitted to dogs and cats. This is not very common, but it can lead to neurological symptoms such as difficulty walking, weakness, convulsions, tremor, loss of appetite and fever.
East and West encephalitis are viruses transmitted by mosquitoes to wild birds and rodents. horses. Venezuelan encephalitis is transmitted from horse to mosquito on horseback. The symptoms of these diseases are similar to those of West Nile virus, because they cause fever, inappetence as well as neurological symptoms such as a staggering gait, hyperexcitability, circular motions, head compressions, convulsions, coma and / or death. with West Nile virus, as well as encephalitis from East, West or Venezuela, are treated with fluids to prevent dehydration, anti – inflammatory drugs and anticonvulsants if necessary. There is no specific treatment for these neurological diseases.
Tularemia is caused by a bacterium named Francisella tularensis. It is found mainly in rodents and rabbits and spread by arthropods such as flies, ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. Infection with tularemia results in painful lymph nodes, high fevers, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), organ failure and death. The diagnosis of tularemia is not simple. Other diseases should be excluded and treatment requires antibiotic therapy and aggressive supportive care.
Vaccines are available against West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, Western equine encephalitis and Venezuelan equine encephalitis. Prevention of heartworm is available in many forms, including oral, injectable and topical medications.
The fight against mosquitoes is important in the prevention of all these diseases. Mosquitoes love stagnant water and breed in these areas, so the drainage of these areas helps to control mosquitoes. You can use insect sprays and foggers to kill the mosquito; just be sure to carefully follow all instructions to protect your pets from exposure and toxicity.
Shana Bohac is a veterinarian at Lakeway Veterinary Clinic of Edna. She works on both small animals and equine patients. Send questions to [email protected]
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