After testing positive for the West Nile Virus, three Utah horses have been euthanized over the past month.
Four horses were tested in Uintah and Duchesne counties since August 16, with the three horses in question testing positive for the virus.
Horse owners are being urged by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to vaccinate their horses so they can be protected against the fatal disease moving forward. They are also being encouraged to remove standing water where horses stand so that mosquitoes can’t breed and infect the water.
Dr. Dean Taylor, a state veterinarian, says that West Nile continues to be a threat to Utah horses and that it’s important for owners to vaccinate them annually.
UDAF says that about one-third of horses with West Nile Virus will die or will have to be euthanized because of their positive result.
