Animal health officials are worried about a fast-spreading outbreak of a virus that impacts horses and livestock.
Vesicular stomatitus has now been confirmed in at least one horse in Greenwood County, following an outbreak has also infected over 30 and forced quarantine of more than 60 animals in Butler, Cowley, Marion, Sedgwick and Sumner counties. Two Greenwood County horses are in quarantine at least word.
VSV, as it’s called, targets horses but can also be found in cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas and alpacas. Symptoms include lesions on the muzzle, lips, ears, coronary bands or ventral abdomen. Infected animals can also have fevers and other blister-like lesions on the mouth, dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, ears and hooves. The virus can also infect humans taking care for the affected animals, with flu-like symptoms presenting.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture says biting insects like black flies, sand flies and midges are the primary carriers of the virus to livestock. Animal owners “should institute aggressive measures” to reduce flies and other similar insects. Currently, there are no USDA-approved vaccines, buildings or other premises where infected animals live need to be quarantined for at least 14 days after the last affected animal is diagnosed. It can take five to seven days for the virus to run its course, but it can take another week for the infected animal to recover.
For more information, call the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animial Health at 785-564-6601 or go online to www.agriculture.ks.gov/VSV.
