An ounce of equine prevention

A county program offering affordable shots draws a slow but steady response early. The vaccines will be offered again today.

By CHRISTINA K. COSDON

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 9, 2001

Groups of horses walked slowly in neat procession along the busy highway, some led by hand, others with riders perched on their backs.

Their destination: a nearby park where the horses would be vaccinated against the mosquito-borne West Nile virus that already has 36 Florida counties under medical alert.

Pinellas County Animal Services had set up a Saturday morning clinic to give the vaccinations at the Walsingham Equestrian Park for walk-in horses and a daylong clinic both Saturday and today at Walsingham Park for trailered horses. Both parks are on 102nd Avenue on the Largo-Seminole border.

Each person with a horse was required to fill out a certificate with information about the horse and its owner. The information, to be kept in the county's database, would be used in the event of a disaster or hurricane, said Sandra Lee of Animal Services. The vaccinations cost $10 and some horses also received rabies shots.

By noon, more than 25 horses had been vaccinated at the walk-in clinic and only a handful of trailered horses had been treated at the larger park.

"I've heard that word got around the clinic for the trailered horses didn't open until noon," said Dr. Kenny Mitchell, director of the county's Animal Services. One trailer with horses drove up a little before noon and more were expected throughout the afternoon until the 4 p.m. closing time.

"I hope we do better later today and Sunday," Mitchell said, a little discouraged by the low trailer turnout. "We want to get all the horses that we can vaccinated" before the virus reaches Pinellas County.

Dr. Welch Agnew of Animal Services gave the vaccinations at the equestrian park. He said symptoms of West Nile virus, a form of encephalitis, include blurred vision, muscle weakness, lack of coordination, paralysis, headache and fever. "It's the same symptoms people would get," he said. He didn't expect any of the horses to experience reactions to the shots, other than maybe a sore neck.

Fourteen-year-old Andrea Butson led Stoney, a 19-year-old American saddlebred horse, to the vaccination site. Her mother bought the mare when it was 1 1/2 years old and the horse has been in the family ever since.

"I grew up with her," the teenager said of Stoney. "She pretty much raised me." The Butson family keeps two horses at nearby Ten Oaks Stables owned by Carol Wexler.

Four horses from Wexler's farm came for the shots. "I want to support the county," said Mrs. Wexler, "and the shots are a lot cheaper" than those given by private equine veterinarians.

"The people who take good care of their horses will come out here for the shots," said Sharon Spicer, who brought her 14-year-old quarter horse Call Me Shela. "We had our vet out recently, but he didn't have the virus vaccine yet."

Five horses from Audrey Bray's nearby Sun Catch Farms arrived at the clinic in a group through a wooded trail that leads to the park. Larry Cooper, whose property is adjacent to the park, said it was convenient for him to ride his 7-year-old thoroughbred Casper over to the clinic.

If you go

The West Nile virus booster shots will be given Oct 6 at the Walsingham Park. Animals Services can be reached at (727) 582-2600.

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