The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has received confirmation of a new case of equine vesicular stomatitis (VS) on a premises located 3.5 miles southeast of Waco in McLennan County. This is the first case reported in McLennan County.

The newly identified infected premises are currently quarantined. Affected horses will be monitored by regulatory veterinarians while under quarantine. Premises are eligible for quarantine release 21 days after all lesions have healed.

Vesicular stomatitis can cause blisters and sores in the mouth and on the tongue, muzzle, teats, or hooves of horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, llamas, and a number of other animals. Lesions usually will heal in two or three weeks. Because of the contagious nature of VS and its resemblance to other diseases such as foot and mouth disease, animal health officials urge livestock owners and caretakers to report these symptoms to their veterinarian immediately. Most animals recover well with supportive care by a veterinarian, but some lesions can be painful.

To date, horses residing on 58 premises in 12 Texas counties have been diagnosed with VS. Currently affected counties include Bastrop, Falls, Guadalupe, McLennan, Travis, and Williamson. To date, 23 of those premises have been released from quarantine, and six counties—Jim Wells, Kinney, Nueces, San Patricio, Val Verde, and Hidalgo—have been released from quarantine