The Colorado Department of Agriculture's State Veterinarians's office has issued an extended travel requirement after a horse infected with vesicular stomatitis was discovered in in Las Animas County.
Pesky horse flies - source of disease
To prevent the spread of vesicular stomatitis, strict fly control is key along with avoiding the transfer of feeding equipment and cleaning tools between herds. .
© 2012 by Carien Schippers
A press release Thursday said that all horses, mules, cattle, bison, sheep, goats, swine and camelids entering Colorado from states with confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis should have health certificates with the following statement from a veterinarian:
"I have examined the animal(s) represented on this Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) and have found no signs of vesicular stomatitis and they have not originated from a premises under quarantine for vesicular stomatitis."
Symptoms of the disease include vesicles, erosions and the shedding of skin on the infected animal's muzzle, tongue, teats and above the hooves.
The ruptured vesicles can produce oral lesions causing the animal to refuse to eat or drink, which results in weight loss. Lesions above the hoof may result in lameness in one or more feet, and hoof growth can be permanently impacted in severe cases.
New Mexico is the only other state where the disease has been identified this year. There are currently 27 infected horses on 20 premises.
The infected Colorado premises is under quarantine. Veterinarians believe insects infected the horse, who has not recently traveled. It's the first time a case has been identified in the state since 2006 .
The disease is spread primarily by black flies and sand flies which have a normal migration from south to north. When the flies die off in the fall or winter, horses are no longer at risk of getting vesicular stomatitis
Although occasionally people may become infected with the disease, the risk is very low according to sources.
To prevent the spread of disease, strict fly control is key along with avoiding the transfer of feeding equipment and cleaning tools between herds.