As of Sept. 4, 2014, the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian’s Office has quarantined 208 locations after horses and cows tested positive for vesicular stomatitis (VS); 40 of the 248 quarantines have now been released. 

“The number of quarantined premises is actually going down in some counties as horses are healing and the quarantines are being released,” said Keith Roehr, DVM, Colorado state veterinarian. “We continue to see new cases, so continue to ramp up your fly control. The State Veterinarian’s Office is following up on reports of horse owners who have moved their horses out of a quarantined facility. If requirements of the quarantine are not followed, the department will investigate, write citations for violations, and institute fines according to the Livestock Health Act in State statute.” 

If you are in Colorado and plan to transport your horse to another state, check with the destination state's veterinarian's office for any new horse movement restrictions. Some states have instituted new requirements for the import of Colorado horses due to the VS outbreak. The virus typically causes painful oral blisters and sores that lead to difficulty eating and drinking. In Colorado this year, 344 horses and seven cows tested positive for VS