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>News Release
>Texas Animal Health Commission
>Box l2966 . Austin, Texas 78711 . (800) 550-8242 . FAX (512) 719-071
>Bob Hillman, DVM . Executive Director
>For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242,
>ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us
>
>
>For Immediate Release---
>And Now There are Three.
>Texas Joins States with Vesicular Stomatitis in 2005
>
>Texas, on Friday, May 20, joined New Mexico and Arizona as states with
>confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis (VS) this spring. Two Travis
>County horses were hauled home May 10 from a trail ride in Arizona, where
>they apparently were exposed to the virus that can cause animals to
>develop blisters and sores in the mouth, on the tongue, muzzle, teats and
>hooves. The year's first VS cases were confirmed April 27 in two horses
>in southwest New Mexico. Since then, infection has been detected in 17
>horses on 11 premises in New Mexico, Arizona, and now, Texas.
>
>"A number of states and countries impose strict testing, permitting and
>inspection requirements for livestock that originate from VS-affected
>areas or states. Check with the state or country of destination before
>hauling livestock from Texas," said Dr. Bob Hillman, head of the Texas
>Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state's livestock and poultry health
>regulatory agency. Phone numbers for other states' animal health
>regulatory agencies can be obtained from the TAHC's Austin headquarters at
>1-800-550-8242. Staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Austin
>office can be reached at 512-916-5565 for international shipping rules or
>restrictions.
>
>"VS rarely causes death, but an animal can suffer several weeks, while the
>lesions heal," said Dr. Bob Hillman, who also serves as Texas' state
>veterinarian. "To help prevent the spread of VS, an infected animal and
>the other livestock on a premises are quarantined until at least 30 days
>after the sores heal. Prior to releasing movement restrictions, a
>regulatory veterinarian will examine the affected animal to ensure healing
>is complete. Other livestock also will be checked. If infection is
>detected, the quarantine will begin anew."
>
>Dr. Hillman explained that the clinical signs of VS mirror those of the
>dreaded foreign foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease. Horses are susceptible to
>VS, but not FMD; however, both diseases can affect cattle, sheep, goats,
>swine, deer and a number of other species. "When sores or blisters are
>seen in FMD-susceptible animals, we must immediately rule out an
>introduction of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). When horses have lesions, a
>VS test rules out other possible causes for blisters and sores, including
>toxic plants, chemicals or poison. Tests are run at no charge to the
>animal owner, and the VS diagnosis in horses is confirmed at the National
>Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, IA."
>
>Dr. Hillman noted that the disease occurs sporadically, but outbreaks
>generally follow a 10- to 15-year cycle. In l982-83, the country suffered
>its worst recorded VS outbreak, when infection was confirmed on 617
>premises in nine states: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming,
>Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota.
>
>Subsequent outbreaks in l995, l997 and l998 were limited to New Mexico,
>Colorado and Texas, with a few cases in Arizona. Last year, Arizona was
>"spared," when Texas had 15 VS cases, New Mexico had 80, and Colorado, 199.
>
>Livestock owners and private veterinary practitioners are urged to report
>suspected cases of VS to their respective state's livestock health
>regulatory agency:
>Texas Animal Health Commission -- 1-800-550-8242 (operational 24 hours a day)
>New Mexico Livestock Board -- 1-505-841-6161
>Colorado Department of Agriculture, State Veterinarian's Office --
>1-303-239-4161
>Arizona Department of Agriculture, State Veterinarian's Office --
>1-602-542-4293
>
>The TAHC's web site at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us has additional
>information on VS and a link to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where
>situation reports, maps and movement restrictions and requirements are
>posted.