REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — In an effort to protect horses and other livestock in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Agriculture is not allowing the import of horses from counties within states with confirmed and suspected cases of Vesicular Stomatitis.
This restriction includes the All American Quarter Horse Congress, which is scheduled to begin in Columbus Oct. 1.
Vesicular Stomatitis is a viral disease that primarily affects horses, but can also infect cattle, swine, sheep and goats.
The disease causes blister-like lesions, which burst and leave open wounds. It is extremely painful to animals and can result in the inability to eat and drink and even lameness.
The virus is highly contagious, with biting insects being the most common method of transmission. Humans can also contract virus by coming into contact with lesions, saliva, or nasal secretions from infected animals.
In people, the disease causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle ache, headache, and nausea.
Currently, Vesicular Stomatitis has been detected in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming with confirmed or suspected cases in specific counties across those states.
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