206 COMMON AILMENTS OF CATTLE 



vesicles or blisters soon appears upon the swollen regions of the 

 foot. In milch cows the udder and especially the teats become 

 affected with vesicles or blisters. As the disease advances the 

 affected animal evidences considerable pain when attempting to 

 eat and in some cases on account of great pain will refuse "feed 

 of all kinds. Salivation becomes excessive and the animal 

 opens and closes its mouth with a characteristic smacking sound. 

 The saliva is ropy and tenacious and hangs suspended from the 

 lips. The vesicles which are small at first become extended and 

 rupture soon after their appearance, leaving reddened painful 

 spots or sores both within the mouth and upon the feet. Similar 

 spots or erosions will occur on the teats of milch cows. All 

 four feet of an animal may become affected at the same time. 

 Again one or more of the feet may escape the infection and 

 remain normal throughout the course of the disease. The 

 affected feet become very sore and painful, causing the animal to 

 lie down a great deal. The disease when assuming a mild form 

 usually runs its course in approximately thirty days. In case of 

 milch cows the return of the secretion of milk is greatly retarded. 

 In the more destructive form of the disease several months or a 

 year may be required for an animal to recover. 



Diagnosis. — The foot and mouth disease is not difficult to 

 recognize when it is known to exist in the vicinity. The services 

 of experts, however, are required in order to recognize or diag- 

 nose the initial outbreaks. By inoculating calves with the 

 virus from infected animals, the clinical diagnosis can be 

 promptly and positively substantiated. 



Diseases That May Be Confused with Foot and Mouth. — 

 After the blisters or vesicles in foot and mouth disease rupture 

 the disease becomes more difficult to recognize, as other diseases 

 of a less contagious nature have a similar appearance. Cow- 

 pox may at times be confused with foot and mouth disease, but 

 in cow-pox the eruptions of the pocks which become pustules 

 have well-marked and defined stages. The eruptions in foot 

 and mouth disease never become more than a vesicle. 



Necrotic Stomatitis (Sore Mouth Caused by Bacteria). — 

 This disease may be differentiated from foot and mouth disease 



