Vesicular Stomatitis Cases Diagnosed in Texas

Due to an increasing number of confirmed vesicular stomatitis cases in Texas, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry animal health officials are imposing enhanced requirements on horses and other livestock entering Louisiana from a state that has diagnosed cases of VS.

According to a memorandum from the Louisiana animal health officials, the requirements are: Any livestock (equine, bovine, porcine, caprine, or ovine) entering Louisiana from a county in which VS has been diagnosed within the last 30 days must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection written within 10 days of entry containing the following statement: "All animals identified on this certificate have been examined and found free from signs of VS, have not been exposed to VS, and have not originated from a premises which is under quarantine for VS."

VS is a viral disease that primarily affects horses and cattle but can also affect swine, sheep, goats, deer, llamas, and alpacas.

Louisiana animal health officials said symptoms of VS may start as excessive salivation and then progress to blisters and crusty sores in the mouth and on the lips, nostrils, coronary band, prepuce, vulva, and teats, and the disease may be spread by direct contact with infected animals or by biting insects. The disease is rarely fatal.

The Texas Animal Health Commission recently announced the nation's first case of VS for the year in horses when the disease was detected in five horses in southwest Texas, according to the Louisiana memorandum. Since that time more Texas counties have identified cases of VS with a total of 10 confirmed cases in Kinney, Hidalgo, Nueces and San Patricio counties. The six affected premises in those counties are currently under quarantine by the TAHC.