The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) reported Oct. 5 that animal health officials in Wisconsin have confirmed seven additional cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in horses in that state.

“All of the horses have been euthanized or died on their own,” the EDCC’s notice said. “All are nonvaccinates or under-vaccinated.”

The recently confirmed cases include:

• An unvaccinated 8-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Waupaca County, which was staggering and went down vocalizing with her tongue out. She was euthanized Sept. 21.
• An 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Langlade County which had not been vaccinated this year became nonambulatory with a wry neck and began to suffer a seizure. She was euthanized Sept. 25.
• A 2-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Monroe County which was either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated exhibited head-pressing, lethargy, and ataxia (incoordination). She was euthanized Sept. 18.
• A yearling Thoroughbred filly from Chippewa County which had not been vaccinated this year initially presented Sept. 24 as febrile (had a fever), depressed, lethargic, and weak with nystagmus (involuntary eyeball movement) and seizure-like activity. She went down Sept. 26 and died Sept. 27.
• An 8-year-old Miniature Horse mare from Eau Claire County, which was under-vaccinated (she might have been vaccinated five years ago); she presented Sept. 26 with, depression, a decreased appetite, circling to left, twitching, and head-pressing, and was described as wobbly. She went down late on Sept. 28 and was euthanized Sept. 29.
• A 13-year-old unvaccinated Percheron mare from Taylor County began showing signs of disease including hind-limb weakness and stumbling on Sept. 23. She went down and was euthanized on Sept. 24.
• A Miniature horse from Forest County with an unknown vaccination history.

These new cases bring Wisconsin’s total to 17 confirmed positive EEE cases in Wisconsin horses this year