# Foot-and-Mouth Disease

> Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD, Aphthous fever) is a integumentary condition of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. Key signs are vesicles on tongue, dental pad, gums and lips, vesicles on coronary band and interdigital cleft and vesicles on teats; diagnosis rests on NOTIFIABLE — report to state/national veterinary authority immediately and RT-PCR on vesicular fluid or epithelium. Low direct mortality in adults (<5%) but devastating production losses, abortions, and trade restrictions.

Source: https://vetmasterji.com/diseases/foot-and-mouth-disease · Last reviewed: 2026-10-01

## At a glance

- **Species:** Cattle, pigs, sheep and goats
- **Body system:** Integumentary
- **Also known as:** FMD, Aphthous fever

## Key clinical signs

- Vesicles on tongue, dental pad, gums and lips
- Vesicles on coronary band and interdigital cleft
- Vesicles on teats
- Profuse salivation / smacking lips
- Severe lameness
- Fever (40–41 °C) early

## Other signs

- Sudden drop in milk yield
- Anorexia, depression
- Sudden death in young animals (myocarditis — "tiger heart")
- Abortion

## Differential diagnoses

- Vesicular stomatitis (clinically indistinguishable; affects horses)
- Bovine viral diarrhoea / mucosal disease
- Bluetongue
- Rinderpest (now eradicated)
- Orf (in small ruminants)
- Swine vesicular disease

## Diagnosis

- NOTIFIABLE — report to state/national veterinary authority immediately
- RT-PCR on vesicular fluid or epithelium
- Virus isolation (BSL-3 reference lab)
- ELISA for antigen and antibody

## Treatment outline

No curative treatment. In endemic regions: supportive care (soft palatable feed, antiseptic mouth/teat washes, parenteral antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection), restricted movement. In FMD-free regions: stamping-out with movement restrictions, ring-vaccination, and disinfection. Vaccination using inactivated polyvalent vaccines is the mainstay of control in endemic areas.

> An outline, not a prescription. Check each drug’s dose for the species, the patient and the product in the drug calculator before use.

## Prognosis

Low direct mortality in adults (<5%) but devastating production losses, abortions, and trade restrictions. Mortality up to 50% in young calves due to myocarditis.

## Related

- [Rank differentials from clinical signs](https://vetmasterji.com/diagnose)
- [Bovine Mastitis](https://vetmasterji.com/diseases/bovine-mastitis)
- [Bovine Ruminal Tympany (Bloat)](https://vetmasterji.com/diseases/bovine-ruminal-tympany)
- [Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex](https://vetmasterji.com/diseases/bovine-respiratory-disease)

## Frequently asked questions

### What are the signs of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle, pigs, sheep and goats?

Vesicles on tongue, dental pad, gums and lips, vesicles on coronary band and interdigital cleft, vesicles on teats, profuse salivation / smacking lips, severe lameness and fever (40–41 °c) early. Less specific signs include sudden drop in milk yield, anorexia, depression and sudden death in young animals (myocarditis — "tiger heart").

### How is foot-and-mouth disease diagnosed?

NOTIFIABLE — report to state/national veterinary authority immediately, RT-PCR on vesicular fluid or epithelium, Virus isolation (BSL-3 reference lab) and ELISA for antigen and antibody. Differentials to rule out include vesicular stomatitis (clinically indistinguishable; affects horses), bovine viral diarrhoea / mucosal disease, bluetongue and rinderpest (now eradicated).

### How is foot-and-mouth disease treated?

No curative treatment. In endemic regions: supportive care (soft palatable feed, antiseptic mouth/teat washes, parenteral antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection), restricted movement. In FMD-free regions: stamping-out with movement restrictions, ring-vaccination, and disinfection. Vaccination using inactivated polyvalent vaccines is the mainstay of control in endemic areas.

### What is the prognosis for foot-and-mouth disease?

Low direct mortality in adults (<5%) but devastating production losses, abortions, and trade restrictions. Mortality up to 50% in young calves due to myocarditis.

## Sources

- Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th edition

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