Animal Health
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV)
Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a contagious disease of livestock, mainly affecting horses and cattle.
Occasionally, VS can infect swine, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and even people. It is primarily transmitted by biting flies and midges. The Southwestern and Western United States have experienced several outbreaks since 1995. Outbreaks usually occur during warmer months, often along waterways.
VS is clinically indistinguishable from several other vesicular diseases of livestock, including foot and mouth disease. The only way to tell these diseases apart is through laboratory testing. It’s important to quickly test any animal with clinical signs to identify which disease is causing illness. VS is a reportable disease to the Wyoming Livestock Board.
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV)
Clinical signs may appear 2-8 days after exposure.Here’s what to look for:
- Excessive salivation
- Blanched and/or raised blisters on the inner surfaces of the lips, gums, tongue, or dental pad
- Blister-like lesions can form around the mouth, nose, sheath, udders, ears, and coronary band
- Lameness may occur due to painful lesions
- Increased body temperature before at the same time lesions appear
- Reluctance to eat
- Blisters swell and break open, causing mouth pain, discomfort, and reluctance to eat or drink, possible weight loss
Treatment
VS is treated with supportive care. Lesions may be painful and your veterinarian may prescribe
anti-inflammatory drugs. Due to secondary infections around lesions, your veterinarian may
also prescribe antibiotics. If your animal is having trouble eating, softening their grain in warm
water may encourage them to eat more. Eating grass and hay may also be difficult and an
alternative feed recommended, including softened hay cubes.
Reporting
Producers or owners who suspect an animal disease should contact their veterinarian. VS is a
reportable disease in Wyoming and indistinguishable from other economically devastating diseases, including foot and mouth disease. VS must be reported to the Wyoming Livestock Board by calling (307) 777-7515 and completing a reportable disease notification form.