The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Miami Animal Import Center, in Florida, temporarily stopped accepting new equine imports Saturday after a suspected salmonellosis outbreak began.

Salmonellosis is spread through horse-to-horse contact, shared water buckets, and contaminated feed. Clinical signs in horses can include lameness, fever, severe diarrhea, and dehydration.

Brian McCluskey, DVM, MS, PhD, Dip. ACVPM, associate deputy administrator for APHIS veterinary services field operations, said officials began suspecting the outbreak Jan.16 when five horses under quarantine at the center exhibited diarrhea, fever and lameness. The temporary closure began Jan. 19