CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - An outbreak of equine herpesvirus (EHV) in Texas is prompting horse owners and equestrian centers in Missouri to take extra precautions, even though no cases have been reported in the state.

Veterinarians say the virus, which began spreading after a major barrel racing event in central Texas, is highly contagious and can travel quickly across state lines.

“Just kind of like people, traveling on the airplane, different places, and you can spread the disease pretty quickly. So that’s why it’s important for us here,” said Dr. Martha Huck-Miller, a doctor of veterinary medicine at Huck Equine Clinic.

EHV-1 typically causes respiratory illness, but Huck-Miller warns the virus can mutate into a neurological form known as EHM.

“The big scary part about this diseas

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