358 



PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 



heal rapidly but leave permanent white scars. In the mare 

 somewhat similar symptoms occur. A laboratory blood test is 

 necessary to clinch the diagnosis in the early stages of the disease. 

 Treatment. — Medical treatment is of little benefit. Infected 

 horses must be excluded from breeding, and had best be imme- 

 diately destroyed to prevent communicating the disease to 

 others of their kind. 



FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE 



A highly communicable disease of cloven-footed animals char- 

 acterized by fever and the appearance of "water blisters 



or 



r 



Fig. 90.- 



-Head of cow affected with foot-and-mouth disease showing saliva 

 drooling from the mouth. (B. A. I.) 



vesicles. The mortality ranges from 1 to 3 per cent, in ordinary 

 cases. 



Cause. — No specific germ has been discovered, but there is 

 no question that foot-and-mouth disease is caused by a virus, for 

 it can be produced experimentally by inoculating calves with 

 saliva from a sick animal. 



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