Handle dead birds only if wearing protective gloves, and place birds in plastic bags. Carefully examine your property and eliminate locations that could serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Shallow stagnant or standing water, used tires, and manure storage pits are ideal places for mosquitoes to breed. Clean water troughs once a week and pay attention to puddles that form around and under the troughs. Consider using stone or landscaping to reduce or eliminate hoofprints, where mosquitoes might breed.
Topical preparations containing mosquito repellents are available for horses.
Read the label before using the product, and follow all instructions. Stable premises can be fogged in the evening to reduce the number of mosquitoes. Summary West Nile virus is new to the United States. Research is in progress to learn more about West Nile encephalitis. Horse owners should stay abreast of information and resources concerning this disease, especially if it is detected in their area.