Things You'll Need
- Horse thermometer
Instructions
Observe your horse for muscle tremors or an altered gait. These are the most common symptoms of West Nile virus. These symptoms are caused by the infection in the spinal cord, which affects certain nerve endings.
Take your horse's temperature. Horses with West Nile virus may have fever 10 days before other symptoms of the infection appear. If you live in a humid area populated by mosquitoes, take your horse's temperature regularly to monitor any sudden changes.
Watch for other symptoms which include a loss of appetite, depression, weakness of the hind legs, aimless wandering, difficulty or inability to swallow, partial paralysis and impaired vision. These symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of the rabies virus, equine protozoal myelitis, equine encephalitis and other neurological diseases. If your horse has any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.