Vesicular Stomatitis (VSV)

Vesicular Stomatitis (VSV) is a viral disease that affects livestock. VSV in Wyoming occurs primarily in horses, and two cases were recently diagnosed on the ranch in privately-owned horses that had been moved to the ranch from an out-of-state location. Both horses were examined by a veterinarian at the first sign of symptoms and quarantined. After a few days of extreme discomfort, both horses fully recovered. Please note that the disease is spread primarily by biting flies and midges, but also by direct physical contact or through shared feed and water troughs. Newly infected horses will show symptoms such as lesions on the mouth, tongue, muzzle, ears, genitalia and hoof-hair line within 2-8 days. They may also experience fever, lameness and a loss of appetite. Most horses fully recover and are no longer contagious after 2 weeks. This is a reportable disease, so any infected animals will have to be examined by a veterinarian and quarantined for approximately 2 weeks to ensure that they are no longer contagious. Unfortunately, there is currently no specific treatment or vaccination for VSV. Fly control is the primary means of prevention. Please see the below PDFs for additional information on how to deal with this disease