Vesicular Stomatitis (“VS”) is a viral disease that affects horses, and less commonly cattle, pigs, llamas, alpacas, and other livestock. We see periodic outbreaks of Vesicular Stomatitis in our region of the Southwest. VS is a reportable disease, meaning that when a case is suspected by a veterinarian, we are required to involve the United States Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA: APHIS).
Reporting is required because VS resembles “Foot and Mouth Disease” in cattle, which is greatly feared in the livestock industry. When VS is confirmed in the United States, non-affected states and most foreign countries initiate transport embargoes to prevent spread into their territories. Movement of livestock is hindered and affected premises are quarantined. The entire livestock industry is adversely affected. After reporting a potential occurrence of the disease the animals in question must be inspected by USDA:APHIS. Laboratory work is performed to determine whether or not the animal has VS. Premises that have confirmed VS are quarantined for a specific period of time after the lesions and clinical signs resolve.
VS occurs exclusively in the Americas. The last severe outbreaks in the Southwestern United States occurred 2004, 2005, and 2006, and smaller outbreaks occurred in 2009 and 2010. The disease is more common in southern Mexico and Central and South America. It is likely that a warmer climate in the last 15 years has favored the presence of the disease here and is at least partly responsible for more frequent outbreaks.
SIGNS OF VS
The classic sign of VS is ulcers and blisters of the mouth, lips and tongue. Lesions are occasionally seen on the coronet bands (the hairline of the hoof) and on the udder or vulva of females and on the penis and sheath of males. The mouth lesions generally are associated with salivation, loss of appetite, and depression. If you inspect the mouth, you might see these ulcerated areas.
VS is thought to be spread by direct contact between saliva of infected animals and other horses, as well as by biting insects. The precise means of spread is not known. Following exposure to the disease, it usually takes 1-3 days for signs to appear. The disease process is fairly short and once lesions appear, there are usually no new lesions formed after 3-4 days. Lesions usually resolve in 10-14 days.
VS is generally not a very serious disease in horses. That said, the lesions are often very painful and can cause difficulty eating. Virus shedding (contagiousness) is usually limited to the first 6-7 days after exposure. Despite this, regulations usually dictate that horses are quarantined for 30 days after the last lesions heal.
OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOUR HORSE IS SHOWING SIGNS OF VS
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