Blister Disease VS
Found In Texas Horse

AUSTIN — The Texas Animal Health Commission reports that vesicular stomatitis has been confirmed in a horse in Reeves County. Texas now joins New Mexico and Arizona as states with confirmed or suspected VS cases this year.

The viral disease can affect most warm-blooded animals, but horses, cattle and swine are the most common victims. It causes painful blisters and lesions on the animals’ mouths, tongues, hooves and teats.

Though generally not fatal, VS forces most affected animals off feed and can lead to significant weight loss. The similarity of its symptoms to those of the much more serious hoof and mouth disease makes it a significant animal health issue in terms of international trade. States with VS cases routinely face embargoes or testing requirements against their livestock from states without active cases.

"This year," says TAHC assistant state veterinarian Dr. Max Coats, "Kentucky has already embargoed livestock from New Mexico because of that state’s two confirmed cases of VS. Undoubtedly, Kentucky livestock officials will also prohibit Texas livestock from entering their state for a specific period of time."

Kentucky is especially sensitive to VS because of its horse trade with Europe, Coats says, but he expects other states to take some precautionary action against Texas animals as well.

Coats says the Reeves County case involved a horse pastured with several other horses which also displayed symptoms, but laboratory confirmation of their possible infections is not yet available. All livestock on the premise will be quarantined until at least 30 days after their lesions have healed.

Since 1995, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona have been plagued by summer VS outbreaks; Texas has joined that list at least twice. Little is known for certain about the mode of transmission, but insects are suspected.