Foot and mouth disease is very dangerous for cattle. After all, young animals die from this viral disease, but adult animals have a hard time suffering from the disease and even after recovery can infect healthy cows and bulls. The disease affects the productivity of cattle. Milk production decreases, animals slowly gain weight, and the quality of meat deteriorates. Cows and bulls infected with foot-and-mouth disease are often sent to slaughter to prevent infection of the entire herd.
What kind of disease is this
Foot and mouth disease is a dangerous viral disease that affects domestic animals, most often young calves, cows and bulls. It is characterized by severe course and dangerous consequences leading to the death of cattle. The source of infection is sick animals from unfavorable areas (Asian countries). Helps prevent disease cattle vaccination from a specific type of foot and mouth disease (7 types are known).
In sick cattle, the temperature rises, saliva constantly flows, and vesicular and ulcerative rashes are noticeable on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, the skin of the udder and in the interhoof cleft. Patients with foot and mouth disease cannot swallow, refuse food, and quickly lose weight. The animal's digestive organs are affected. Due to ulcers on the udder, cows cannot be milked and they develop mastitis. The virus affects the soft tissues of the hooves, they begin to fester. The disease can lead to scar necrosis, bronchopneumonia and gangrene of the lungs, disturbances in the functioning of the heart and myocardium.
The disease lasts 1-2 weeks, the incubation period is 2-6, maximum 20 days. In case of complications, the cow dies within 2-6 days. In animals that were ill but survived, productivity indicators (milk yield, weight gain) decrease. Foot and mouth disease usually leads to mortality in young animals (mortality rate - 80-100%) and adult cattle (mortality rate - 40-90%). As a result, the herd size decreases, including due to forced slaughter.
Animals that have recovered from one type of foot-and-mouth disease may subsequently become ill with another type of this viral disease. They try to prevent the disease through vaccination.
Pathogen, source and route of spread
The causative agent of a disease such as foot and mouth disease is considered to be an RNA virus from the family of tiny picornaviruses. The rhinovirus itself consists of 32 capsomeres, which form a rhombic tricontahedron.It was possible to identify 7 different types of foot-and-mouth disease virus. The causative agent of the disease exhibits resistance under various weather conditions, but dies when heated to more than 60 degrees Celsius, as well as under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and disinfectants.
The source of the disease is animals infected with foot-and-mouth disease, those in the incubation period and those who have recovered from this viral disease. The virus is released from the body of sick individuals in saliva, blood, urine, and feces. The pathogen persists for a long time in animal hair, soil (in fallen ulcer crusts), as well as in milk and meat. The virus is transmitted through contaminated feed, bedding, manure, equipment, and insect bites.
You can become infected with foot and mouth disease through direct contact (through lesions on the skin and through the mouth, nose, eyes) with a sick animal and by inhaling air containing viral particles. When the virus enters the blood, intoxication of the entire body occurs. As a rule, foot and mouth disease is not transmitted from person to person. People involved in cattle breeding become infected with the virus through contact with sick animals.
Signs and symptoms of the disease
At the very beginning, cows and bulls who have contracted the virus develop a burning sensation in the mouth, swelling, and redness. Because of this, profuse salivation and conjunctivitis begin. After a few days, rashes appear on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue, gums, and also on the nose - blisters filled with initially clear and then cloudy liquid. Aphthae can occur on the female's udder and on the skin of the intercoffin cleft.
After a few days, the blisters merge, then burst, and red sores form in their place.
The virus, having penetrated the lymph and blood, spreads to all organs and tissues. The animals’ digestive system suffers, they have difficulty swallowing, they refuse food and quickly lose weight. Gastroenteritis and purulent abscesses develop. Body temperature rises. Udder ulcers cause pain to cows, making them reluctant to milk, and the disease leads to mastitis.
If the limbs are affected, hoof erosion and lameness are possible. In severe cases, foot and mouth disease leads to rumen necrosis, bronchopneumonia, and gangrene of the lungs. Animals with good immunity recover after 7 days, sometimes the disease lasts 3-4 weeks and also leads to recovery of cattle. In severe cases (with complications), cows die within 2-6 days. After recovery, the animals are stunted, give birth to dead calves, and pregnancy often ends in spontaneous abortion.
Diagnosis of pathology
Such a dangerous disease as foot and mouth disease is diagnosed based on examination, clinical picture and laboratory tests. The virus is isolated from blood, saliva, aphthae and feces. When conducting laboratory tests, the type of viral foot-and-mouth disease must be determined. This helps to choose the right vaccine for vaccinating healthy cattle. Identification of the virus takes about one week.
When making a diagnosis, it is important to exclude the presence of other diseases with similar symptoms (viral stomatitis, plague, smallpox).
How to treat foot and mouth disease in cattle
There are no medicines for foot and mouth disease. Veterinarians typically prescribe medications to relieve the symptoms of this viral disease. Sick animals are isolated from the main herd.They are kept in quarantine for 2 months and treated with antiviral drugs and convalescent serum. If necessary (purulent infection), antibiotics (Bicillin) are prescribed.
The oral cavity and affected areas of the skin are treated with disinfectants and wound healing agents (a weak solution of potassium permanganate, Chlorhexidine, oxolinic, interferon ointment). Animals are given light food, plenty of fluids to drink, and if necessary, fed through a tube. Vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed. The healing of ulcers is accelerated by ultraviolet irradiation, the drugs “Panthenol”, “Levovinisol”, “Vinizol”.
Possible danger
Foot and mouth disease is dangerous due to its consequences. Even apparently healthy animals that have had a mild form of this viral disease can infect cattle with weaker immunity. Young animals die in 8-9 cases out of 10; the mortality rate in adult cows is two times lower. Females who have suffered from foot-and-mouth disease often give birth to dead calves, and their pregnancy ends in spontaneous abortion. Recovered bulls gain weight poorly, and their meat is unsuitable for food.
For this reason, all animals infected with foot-and-mouth disease are sent to slaughter. Healthy cows and bulls are vaccinated against foot and mouth disease. Vaccination has no effect on virus carriers (recovered and recovered cows and bulls).
Vaccinations against disease
To prevent and prevent infection with foot and mouth disease, healthy animals are vaccinated against this dangerous viral disease. There are a number of mono and associated (against several types) vaccines for cattle immunization. You can buy the medicine at any veterinary pharmacy. Animals are vaccinated against exactly the type of foot and mouth disease that is found in a particular area.
Vaccinate adult cows and bulls, as well as calves aged 6 weeks to 6 months. In unfavorable regions, vaccination is carried out annually. Cows that are pregnant or nursing calves are not vaccinated. Vaccination is usually carried out before mating of animals or in the spring, before turning cattle out to pasture.
The vaccine is not a cure; it does not cure foot-and-mouth disease, but allows cows and bulls to recover from the virus in a mild form and acquire resistance to this viral disease. The vaccine is given intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The dosage of the drug is prescribed depending on the age and weight of the cattle.
The vaccine is completely harmless for cows and bulls, but the main thing is that only absolutely healthy and not weakened animals are allowed to be vaccinated. You can find out the vaccination schedule and the type of vaccine required from your local veterinarian.
Other preventive measures
Foot and mouth disease is one of the dangerous diseases. Usually this viral disease is brought from unfavorable regions to favorable ones. To prevent infection of local animals, a number of preventive measures are carried out in each area. Sanitary and veterinary services inspect the condition of cattle, and also monitor the movement and purchase of breeding bulls and cows from other countries, especially Asian ones.
The risk of infection arises in the case of illegal import of animals. It is recommended that all cattle livestock be registered. Owners of cows and bulls can protect themselves from the virus by getting their animals vaccinated on time. Vaccinations are carried out by local veterinarians. It is advisable to graze cattle on pastures where wild animals do not run, and also to buy feed in regions favorable for foot-and-mouth disease.
Dairy and meat products sold in markets are also subject to control.At home, you can protect yourself from foot and mouth disease infection from animals in a simple way. The main thing is to boil the milk bought at the market, and heat treat the meat. If there are known cases of foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in a particular area, it is not recommended to buy cream and sour cream at the market. If redness, swelling, or rashes appear in the mouth, you should immediately consult an infectious disease doctor.
