American quarter horse Sandy Jo was euthanized Friday after developing a neurological illness caused by a herpes virus. The star of Pigeon Forge's Dixie Stampede showed symptoms of illness last week and was taken to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center where she was diagnosed with equine herpesvirus myeloencephalitis, an illness that attacks brain tissue and nerves and is a variant of Herpesvirus-1.
The state has quarantined Dixie Stampede's 42 horses and they are being monitored for signs of the disease. Precautions are being taken to make sure no other horses contract the disease.
Horses can spread the virus to horses, to other equine species such as donkeys and zebras, and to species related to camels, including llamas and alpacas, but it doesn't affect humans and other species. Humans, however, can carry the virus from horse to horse.