Clinical signs of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle
A range of clinical signs may indicate the presence of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle.
Steer with FMD tongue lesions. © UK DEFRA.
Typical clinical signs of FMD in cattle include:
- pyrexia (up to 41°C)
- anorexia
- in dairy animals, reduced milk production.
Vesicles develop on the buccal and nasal mucous membranes and/or between the claws and coronary band. These may lead to:
- smacking of lips
- bruxism
- drooling
- lameness
- stamping or kicking of feet.
Vesicles frequently also develop on the mammary glands.
Vesicles rupture, leaving erosions 24 hours later.
Cattle generally recover from FMD within 8–15 days, but complications may include:
- tongue erosions
- secondary infection of lesions
- hoof deformations
- mastitis and permanent impairment of milk production
- abortion
- permanent weight loss.
Young animals may die from viral myocarditis.
Steer's tongue with 1-day-old vesicle that ruptured when tongue was drawn from mouth.
Steer with 2-day-old ruptured vesicles on tongue, lower gum and lower lip. Note sharp edges to ulcerated areas.
Steer's mouth with 2-day-old lesions. Note sharp margins of lesions and red raw appearance of exposed dermis.
Steer's tongue with 4-day-old lesions. Note progressive loss of lesion margination and extensive fibrin infilling.
Heel bulbs of steer’s foot with unruptured 2-day-old vesicles.
Steer's foot with 7-day-old inter-digital lesion.
Also consider...
- Read more about the signs and transmission of FMD.