The Kentucky State Veterinarian's office announced today (Sept. 25) that a Marion County horse has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), the second confirmed case in the commonwealth this year.

In a statement Kentucky Equine Programs manager E.S. "Rusty" Ford relayed that a 3-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse mare presented on Sept. 19 as lethargic and anorexic. The mare had some muscle fasciculation (twitching) and would cross-step when attempting to move forward, Ford's statement said. The animal’s condition worsened over the following 48 hours to a recumbent state and she was euthanized, he said.

"The animal is reported as having been relocated from Tennessee to Kentucky late in August, and had previously resided in Alabama," Ford said.

He noted that the mare's vaccination status is currently unknown

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