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Rodeo queen’s horse beating back West Nile
Quincy Post-Register
Rodeo queen Katie Garfield has made numerous appearances on Salty, who’s recovering from a nasty bout with West Nile virus.
She says it’s the ugliest thing she’s ever seen happen to a horse — partial paralysis, crazy wobbling, inability to eat, skin shrunken right up to the bones.
Horse owner Anne Henshaw of George never again wants to witness the effects of the West Nile virus, particularly on one of her prize animals. “It just took hold of her,” she says, “and it was awful. The sight of it crushed me.”
Henshaw’s 13-year-old Quarter Horse mare, Salty, now seems to be recovering from the worst effects, nearly a month after the first symptoms appeared. A favorite in area rodeo parades and festivities, Salty once again has energy, bright eyes and supple skin, says Henshaw.
But the worst thing, she says, is that this all could have been avoided with vaccinations. For a variety of reasons, this was the year she chose not to vaccinate her six horses.
Salty is a favorite mount of Henshaw’s daughter, rodeo queen Katie Garfield. During the last two years, Garfield has ridden Salty at rodeo and fair festivities in Othello, Moses Lake and other Central Washington towns.
Now, Salty also has the dubious distinction of being the first horse in the Quincy Valley infected with West Nile virus, which is spread by mosquitoes. It primarily affects birds and horses, but can also infect humans. In horses, the most common symptoms are a drunken gait, muscle twitching, weakness of limbs, inability to stand, depression, anxiety and loss of appetite.
For Salty, the trouble started around Sept. 10 at the Adams County Fair in Othello when she got kicked. That injury resulted in a hematoma that caught Henshaw’s attention. She soon noticed the horse was stiff and seemed to have trouble supporting her weight.
Henshaw called in a horse chiropractor, but despite a series of massage sessions, Salty kept getting worse. She started gritting her teeth, began sweating and became so wobbly on her feet that she could hardly stand.
Tests by a veterinarian came back positive — Salty definitely had West Nile — and Henshaw began to administer twice-daily doses of Bute (phenylbutazone), a pain-reliever and anti-inflammatory drug used to treat various conditions in horses. Salty prefers that the medicine, which is in pill form, be crushed and mixed with maple syrup.
“All we could really do was wait and hope,” says Henshaw.
Salty and her fellow horses at Henshaw’s farm have now begun West Nile vaccinations, a process that includes the initial serum followed by boosters. Henshaw says she’s vaccinated her horses in past years, but this year skipped the treatment due to family and financial reasons. Big mistake, she acknowledges.
“I’m not necessarily trying to promote vaccinations,” says Henshaw, “but horse people know this (West Nile virus) is about as ugly as it can get. I’m really concerned others might have to go through this, and believe me, it’s not pretty.”
Gerald Campbell, environmental health director for Grant County’s Health Department in Ephrata, has confirmed 10 cases of horses infected with West Nile in the county this year. No human cases have been reported in Grant County, but statewide two cases are known — one in King County and one in Yakima County.
On top of the West Nile troubles, Henshaw’s horses have faced a bacterial infection known as pigeon fever or dryland distemper. The infection, usually occurring in late fall, is common throughout the Western states and is spread by flies. The disease is marked by abscesses on the horses chest which swell in a puffed-out, pigeon-like fashion. Three of Henshaw’s six horses have been infected by the bacteria.
“People just need to be aware this condition is around,” says Henshaw. Recommended treatments include manure and fly management, but abscesses may require lancing, flushing and hot poultices.
Chuck Allen of the Quincy Valley Post-Register contributed to this report.
