VS Vesicular Stomatitis, RT-qPCR

By observing the following guidelines you can help prevent the occurrence of VS: 

• Healthy horses are more disease resistant so provide good nutrition, regular exercise, deworming and routine vaccinations. 
• Isolate new horses for at least 21 days before introducing them into the herd or stable.
• Observe your horse closely. Immediately isolate any horse that shows signs of infection and contact your veterinarian.
• Implement an effective insect control program. Keep stabling areas clean and dry. Remove manure and eliminate potential breeding grounds (standing water, muddy areas) for insect vectors.
• Use individual rather than communal feeders, waterers, and equipment.
• Clean and disinfect feed bunks, waterers, horse trailers and other equipment regularly.
• Be sure that your farrier and other equine professionals who come into direct contact with your animals exercise due care so as not to spread the disease from one horse or facility to the next.
• On farms where VS has been confirmed, isolate any animals with lesions away from others and handle healthy animals first, ill animals last. Handlers should then shower, change clothing and disinfect equipment to prevent exposing others.
• Anyone handling infected horses should implement proper biosafety methods, including wearing latex gloves and washing hands after handling animals with lesions.
• If you are sponsoring an event during an outbreak, require a more recent health certificate on every horse entering the venue and consider having a veterinarian visually inspect all horses at check-in.  Work with your event veterinarian to establish isolation and response procedures that can be implemented quickly if a suspect case is identified at the venue.