'Louping Ill' any experience?

[lucym]

Hi everyone (also in NL)
the valley where my horse is kept on darmoor and the surounding moorland, has become an outbreak site for Louping Ill, alot of sheep are dying, and my uncle is vaccinating his flock as we speak.
i know horses can get it, and from what i have read there is no vaccination for horses.
Just wondered, has anyone had any experience of this before, or got any preventative measures that i may find useful. I have to hack my boy out for fittening, and also to keep him sane, so is there little i can do, apart from hope we dont get it? There has already been 3 horses get it in the ares

thanks

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Blimey! Never heard of it p&c! Is it fatal? What are the symptoms?

 

[kellyeaton]

same question as box of frogs?

 

[lucym]

http://www.eqwest.co.uk/Factsheets/Factsheets/loupingill.htm

this is the fact sheet on it from our local vets, it can be fatal in the worst case senario, but looks as though it is treatable

just wondered if anyone had any forst hand experience really, also i think people in 'tick' areas should be aware

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Ye gods!!!! The only information I can possibly contribute to this p&c is that Frontline has been used pretty much on all the horses on our yard (gotta be 20+) after a severe outbreak of feather mites and NO side effects. Not sure how high is the danger height for this sort of tick. I know the common ticks that latch onto dogs climb to the top of grass stalks so they are in a poll position should something dog height pass. Not sure if sheep and cattle ticks climb higher or climb different things but if you can find that out you could maybe stay away from eg tall grass and spray Frontline on your ned to that height. Fingers crossed he stays well x