Horse owner sends message to protect animals from mosquitoes

LEESBURG, GA (WALB) - A South Georgia stable owner is sending a reminder to animal lovers tonight, after a horse tested positive for EEE in Colquitt County.

EEE, also known as Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a viral disease that can be transmitted by a mosquito bite.

The owner of Serenity Stables in Leesburg said horses can easily get the virus.

For humans to get the disease, health experts said a mosquito carrying the virus must first bite a horse, then infect a human with a bite.

Anna Matthew said it's important to spray horses with preventatives to keep mosquitoes away.

She also said having fly sheets, leg wraps, and vaccinations are necessary.

"As a barn owner we make sure that our animals are vaccinated every six months. There's different types of shots they get every six months and they're called short shots. They get different vaccinations and each one of those in fall and in spring," said Matthew.

Matthew also said it's critical to keep horses away from standing water as mosquito larva breeds in that environment.

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