The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported July 6 that two horses in that state have died in the past two weeks, both after contracting Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE). They are the first reported cases of EEE in horses in North Carolina this year.

The unvaccinated horses—an 18-month-old Paint from Carteret County and a 3-year-old Quarter Horse from Bladen County—exhibited signs of generalized weakness, stumbling, depression, and inability to stand or eat. The Carteret County horse was euthanized July 21 and the Bladen County horse died Aug. 2.

North Carolina had 15 equine EEE cases in 2013.

“If your horses exhibit any symptoms of EEE, contact your veterinarian immediately,” said State Veterinarian David Marshall, DVM. “Several serious contagious diseases, such as West Nile virus, equine herpes virus, and rabies, have similar symptoms and should be ruled out