Ford Youth World exhibitors from certain Texas counties need a health certificate dated within five days of arriving at the show.
Certain exhibitors attending the 2014 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show will need to show a recent vesicular stomatitis free equine health certificate. The Ford Youth World is August 1-9 at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Exhibitors from the affected Texas counties will need to show a health certificate dated within five days of arriving at the fairgrounds.
The health certificate should read, “This horse is free of Vesicular Stomatitis.”
The following Texas counties have confirmed vesicular stomatitis cases:
• Bastrop
• Guadalupe
• Hidalgo
• Jim Wells
• Kinney
• Nueces
• San Patricio
• Travis
Vesicular stomatitis is an acute viral vesicular disease that causes blister-like lesions on the tongue, mouth lining, nose and lips of the horse. In rare cases, lesions can also develop on the coronary bands or on the udder or sheath of the horse. A horse can show signs of fever and usually will show other symptoms within two to eight days. Please contact your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns. If Ford Youth World exhibitors have any questions or concerns, please contact AQHA at 806-376-4811.
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As of July 3, an additional case of vesicular stomatitis has been identified in Texas, and some states are imposing travel restrictions.
The Texas Animal Health Commission has received confirmation of a second case of vesicular stomatitis in a horse in Nueces County in south Texas. The premises is located 10.2 miles south of Mathis, Texas. To date, seven premises in four Texas counties have been confirmed with VS.
On May 28, 2014, the Texas Animal Health Commission announced that the nation’s first case of vesicular stomatitis this year involving five horses had been confirmed in Kinney County, Texas, specifically southeast of Del Rio.
Two additional cases of VS in horses in Hidalgo County in South Texas were announced last week. One case involved two horses approximately 24 miles northwest of Edinburg. The other case was confirmed in one horse three miles northwest of Edinburg.
On June 17, two new cases of VS were confirmed in three horses in San Patricio County in South Texas. One case involved two horses located approximately 7.5 miles southeast of Mathis. The other case is located approximately 7 miles southeast of Mathis. Both VS cases tested positive for the New Jersey serotype.
The newly identified infected premises are currently under quarantine by the TAHC. Affected horses will be monitored by regulatory veterinarians while under quarantine. Premises are eligible for quarantine release 21 days after all lesions have healed. There is no known exposure to other horses around the state, or at any equine events.
Several states have provided the TAHC with information on enhanced entry requirements they are imposing on Texas livestock (including horses) due to the recently announced VS cases in Texas.
For information about these movement restrictions, contact the state or country of destination and visit www.tahc.texas.gov.
For more information about VS, visit www.tahc.state.tx.us and a fact sheet is available at www.aphis.usda.gov.
